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Chapter Text

This wasn’t at all what she expected.

Everything was fine at first. Being pushed into an arranged marriage with a high-standing councilman to save her parents from their financial situation sounded like a good deal, but had she known the emotional damage this marriage would give her in the future, she never would have agreed to it.

A woman sat behind a desk with downcast eyes. Her short, light brown hair rested on her shoulders as she looked over her schedule for the week. As she eyed every date that had been filled with business meetings and political appointments, she mulled over every decision that led her to this point. A life she used to want, the title she used to dream of having seemed so mundane now. Even her own name seemed foreign to her as she stared at it on a separate page next to her.

Melinda Desmond.

She didn’t like that last name. It disgusted her just to say it. Her husband was Donovan Desmond, the Prime Minister of Ostania, and not long after their wedding, she began to sense hostility in him. Even if he was never physically abusive, the things he would say to her whenever they did have a conversation were almost like needles poking at her head, almost like he was trying to instill within her a certain mindset. But as much as she hated the feeling, she never let him know, hiding her true feelings behind a smile and kind eyes.

There was no love in this marriage. Melinda was left alone most days while her husband worked, rarely taking breaks. They only saw each other during meals and at night when they went to bed. The lonely days that passed only fueled her desire to leave him, but that all changed one February night…

The night that would forever chain herself to the Desmond name.

She and Donovan were about to turn in for the night, when suddenly he told her that the Desmond family needed an heir. When she told him she didn’t believe she was ready for children, she saw a side of him that still haunts her to this day. He wasn’t angry, it wasn’t a full-blown outburst from him, but when she looked into his eyes, she knew that he wasn’t asking. No. He was demanding that she bear his child. He didn’t need to say anything more to let her know that he was going to make her agree whether she liked it or not.

Even now, 5 years later, whenever that memory crept back to her mind, she felt every terrible touch and emotion that ran through her that night. Although she wanted to love her son, she felt that there was a communication barrier between herself and her child. Donovan saw to it that Demetrius was with him during all study hours of the day, which unfortunately was a very long time. So Melinda hardly found time to speak with him, and because of that, they never built up any meaningful connection.

Melinda sighed and closed her planner. I can never escape him. Nothing I do will break the chains he’s bound to me. Her eyes closed in solemn thought.

Knock, knock, knock.

The knocks on the double doors of her private quarters brought her attention away from her musing.

          “Come in.”

The door opened and a dignified young man entered the room with a silver tray that held a white, floral teapot, accompanied by a single glass teacup resting on a saucer. The man carrying it all was a butler that her husband hired recently. His name was Jeeves, and he was recommended to the Desmonds by a nearby academy. They said he was the finest student they ever had the pleasure of training. Judging by his demeanor and the way he respectfully followed orders, Melinda knew that the academy had spoken truthfully.

Jeeves was no more than a year older than her, still within the prime of his life. He had short, black hair that was combed to the left, not gelled, but certainly combed to straight perfection. It looked smooth to the touch, and it made his bright purple eyes stand out.

“Pardon the intrusion, Mrs. Desmond.” He apologized politely. Once again, the last name brought bile to her throat. She sighed and straightened her posture as he approached and set the tea tray on the end table near the window.

          “It’s alright, Jeeves.”

          “I thought you’d like your afternoon tea.”

Melinda blinked at him. Was it that time already? She turned her gaze to the clock on the wall above the fireplace and saw that it was already 12:15. Had she really been zoning out for the past half hour?

          “Oh dear, I didn’t realize. I missed lunch with my husband.”

Jeeves smiled for only a moment before pouring the tea into the cup. “Don’t be too concerned. Master Desmond found himself held up in a meeting himself. He requested the meal be pushed to 12:30, so I made some adjustments to today’s schedule.”

Thank goodness. Thought Melinda. Her husband would have been annoyed otherwise. Jeeves held out the tea and she graciously took it. She’d always take her tea after having lunch with her husband. Tea with him was so tense, she could hardly focus on the tea’s flavor with him watching her like he was a hawk about to swoop in and devour his prey.

When she had tea alone, the only tension she felt was in her mind, just anticipating when she’d be called to take care of some other business, or to join her husband at an event that required both of them to attend. Even now, she had to keep tearing her eyes away from the door and the phone. She tried to think about something else, but everything in the room reminded her of who she was and what her position entailed.

That was, until Jeeves’ voice brought her back to reality. He spoke gently, so as to not startle her.

          “If I may, Mrs. Desmond. Is there something troubling you?”

          “Yes.”

She was surprised at how quickly she answered that. Normally, she wouldn’t engage in conversation with any of their staff because if she told any of them the wrong thing, then word could get to her husband and that would cause her all sorts of problems. But how easily that word left her mouth, it must have been because just a few moments ago she’d been reflecting on all the bad decisions that got her here that the frustration was becoming almost too much for her to bear.

          “May I ask what it is?” the attendant asked. “If so, I’d like to know if there’s something I can do to assist you.”

Melinda took a sip of her tea, debating whether or not to tell him. How much could she tell him? Was he capable of keeping a secret? Perhaps the only way to truly know was to ask him. She set her tea and saucer on her desk and turned to face the young butler. “Jeeves, what I tell you here stays in this room. Do you understand?” Jeeves nodded, “Of course, Mrs. Desmond.”

          “Good.”

So, with a deep breath, she quietly admitted her feelings.

“I’m not happy here. This life, being the First Lady, being the wife of…of him…I don’t feel happy, nor am I content. I feel…” Melinda paused when started to tear up and her throat suddenly constricted. All the pent-up frustration and sadness that she had kept hidden for years finally began to burst out of her like a dam that had just been destroyed. And as she just let it all out, Jeeves stared at her, a slight look of pity in his eyes, but he never interrupted.

Melinda began to frantically pace the room, still going off. “I haven’t felt love from that man at all, not even during our wedding. He looks at me as if I’m a total stranger, he talks to me like I’m his possession and not his wife. He practically forced me to bear his child. I want to be a good mother, I want to have a good relationship with my son, but my husband is making it nearly impossible for me to spend time with him. I can’t talk to him about this because he won’t listen, or he might even get angry. I don’t know how to deal with everything he’s doing to me. Keeping me in chains, preventing me from having a life of my own.”

Here come the tears again, and this time, she was unable to hold them back. She turned to Jeeves once more, and when he saw her tear-stricken face, his eyes widened a fraction. It was clear that she was having a mental breakdown. But what could he do? He couldn’t betray her and let his master know of this, and he couldn’t bring in a professional to come help her because that might draw unwanted attention from the press which would only upset her even more.

So, against his better judgement, Jeeves voiced his own thoughts on the matter.

          “I understand how much this vexes you. Because what you’re telling me has to stay in this room, I cannot recommend professional help. However, if it pleases you, Milady, I offer to be a listening ear to you. You may vent your frustrations to me, and if you’d like, I’ll do my best to comfort you.”

He wasn’t sure if his words did any good, but Melinda’s breathing slowed, and her eyes softened. She still trembled a little, but it was likely due to all the emotions she was feeling. At last, Melinda calmed down and wiped the tears from her eyes. Jeeves took the liberty of handing her his handkerchief for her to use, which she accepted.

“Thank you, Jeeves. Thank you for listening.”

Jeeves bowed respectfully and replied, “You’re welcome, Milady. I’m relieved to have been of service.” Right as he finished the sentence, Melinda chuckled a little, and that confused him. Did he say something funny? Why was she laughing now, after crying in frustration?

Before he could even ask, Melinda looked up at him and said, “Jeeves, from now on, I’d like you to refer to me as Milady. It has a nice ring to it.” Jeeves stared at Melinda in surprise for a few moments, even as she returned to her desk to finish her tea. He’d seen Melinda smile before, but they never seemed to portray genuine joy like the one she had right now.

Melinda sipped her tea happily. She couldn’t recall the last time she actually felt happy, the last time she felt relieved. Who knew that her butler would be someone that she could confide in? What an unexpected source of comfort.

But I’ll take this comfort, nonetheless.

Chapter Text

The Desmonds’ Garden was beautiful. Two finely cut hedges ran from the gate to a split path, the path forward led straight to a gazebo that had been made with carefully carved stone, the roof of the structure was designed to make it appear as if vines were wrapped around it, and proudly standing at the very top was a statue of a griffin, the very same one that was on the Desmond family crest.

Holding the structure up were six alabaster stone pillars, each one was adorned with ivy that curled all the way up to the roof’s eaves. And growing around the sides were flowers of various kinds: lilies, roses, peonies, and a few others. The gazebo had been built on top of a sturdy wood deck with a 2-acre pond below it. The garden also had various trees scattered all over the property, with sakura trees, willow trees, orchid trees, and a few others.

Whenever she became tired of being cooped up in that big and lonely mansion, Melinda would venture out into the garden to enjoy the peaceful sights and sounds of nature. And other days, such as today, she would call over some of her lady friends to enjoy some tea and cakes in the garden. As good friends do, they talked and laughed with one another, discussing matters, both political and domestic. This was one of the very few times Melinda could be herself.

          “Oh, I do enjoy these get-togethers you invite us to, Melinda.” Said a blonde lady that was a little younger than Melinda. Her name was Fallon, and she had been Melinda’s friend since high school. While they were close, Melinda had already told her about her worries, but her response didn’t exactly brighten her mood. Fallon’s advice was to just grin and bear it, saying that if she remains Donovan’s husband, she can have practically anything she wants. Melinda agreed somewhat, but at the same time, she could live without the materialistic possessions.

Nonetheless, Melinda smiled. “And I enjoy spending time with you all. It’s a nice break from all my responsibilities.”

Another lady, this one a brunette with light brown eyes, sipped her cup of herbal tea and said to the group, “Tell me about it. While our husbands deal with their own businesses, we ladies should seize these opportunities when they arise, and enjoy them while it lasts.”

          “Oh, don’t act like you don’t ever do fun activities with your own husband, Blackbell.” Laughed Melinda. “Whenever he has free time he takes you out to romantic meals, or even gives you the best seats in the theater.”

Mrs. Blackbell and Melinda had been friends for only a short time before Melinda became the First Lady, but still, they enjoyed talking to each other every once in a while, seeing what each other was up to and how their days have been going.

          “He is a sweetheart, I admit.” Said Mrs. Blackbell with a soft smile. “But when he’s working, he becomes absolutely focused on the task at hand. I admire that about him.” Then she gave Melinda a pitiful expression. “It saddens me that Donovan isn’t as devoted to his family as he is with work. I don’t know how you put up with a man like that.”

Melinda sighed, setting her cup and saucer back on the table. Her expression went from happy to depressed in the blink of an eye. Why did she have to mention that man at the table? Now she was in a bad mood. One of the other ladies at the table, named Irene, took notice, and decided to steer the conversation elsewhere to brighten the atmosphere.

          “Listen, girls. I’ve been thinking that since our husbands do their part to better this country’s governmental issues, we should also think up a way for us to do our part in helping the country’s people.”

The women at the table all looked up in curiosity. Thankfully it also seemed to lift Melinda out of her negative thinking. “You mean…like a charity?” she asked. Irene nodded and leaned forward, smiling with excitement. “Yes. We could form our own group where we attend city events and help out in any way we can. We could also host our own events where we can support places like hospitals or veteran homes.”

“Oh, we could also do other activities like sports!” Melinda added excitedly. “Even if it doesn’t raise money for charities, we could build up good sportsmanship with our fellow Ostanians that way.” She stood up from her seat and smiled, “I love this idea! Thank you, Irene!”

Melinda’s friends smiled with her and raised their teacups in agreement. Then, the woman named Irene said, “Melinda, why don’t you have the honor of choosing the group’s name?”

          “Me? But you’re the one that introduced the idea.”

          “True, but you have the most spirit out of all of us. That enthusiasm of yours is a great character trait for a group leader, and as leader, you should have the honor of choosing our name.”

Suddenly, Melinda had a revelation. This could be her chance to do something good, she could help others in need and not be recognized for just her family name. Better yet, this could create perfect excuses to not be around her husband, because she’d be away doing work of her own with friends.

          “Alright.” She sat back in her chair and began thinking of a name. “Well, we’ll be helping our fellow countrymen, right?” Mrs. Blackbell nodded. “Sounds very patriotic, doesn’t it?

That’s it!

Melinda broke into a smile and looked around at all her friends. “I have the perfect name for us. From today forward, we will be known as The Lady Patriots Society! We are this country’s women, and for the good citizens of Ostania, we will do our best to support them through charity and building sportsmanship among ourselves.”

All of Melinda’s friends laughed at her dramatic proclamation, but they also unanimously agreed that it was a good name. “I do have a question though.” Said Mrs. Blackbell. “If we’re going to call ourselves a society, does that imply we will be limiting our members?”

          “Of course, we can’t allow just anyone to join the group.” Melinda answered. “Strictly for political privacy reasons, we’ll limit the recruits to only our close friends or women that are either in politics, or are married to those in politics. We can’t be too lax, considering our high-class positions.”

Mrs. Blackbell nodded in acknowledgement, “Yes, that makes sense. Well…” She raised her cup and said, “To the Lady Patriots Society!” Then everyone else raised their cups and repeated in unison. “To the Lady Patriots Society!”

This was great. The idea of this new group she and her friends had just formed filled her with such excitement that she just wanted to laugh and celebrate. “This calls for only the best of tea cakes.” Melinda looked up from her friends and over to the mansion’s door where Jeeves was standing at attention. She waved him over and as he approached, she called to him, “Jeeves, do you happen to know if we still have some of those Imperial KariKari tea cakes left?”

          “Yes, Milady. There are 3 batches left in the pantry.”

          “Could you please bring a batch out to us? We’re going to celebrate this joyous occasion right!”

It was only apparent for a moment, but Jeeves smiled as he turned back around. He wasn’t going to let it all show, but seeing Melinda all smiles like that was the highlight of his day, but he couldn’t just walk around the mansion with a huge smile plastered on his face, so he contained his emotions as soon as he passed through the door.

The tea cakes had tasted as good as they smelled, and each lady at the table savored their taste. The ingredients were super hard to get, and the last time they were made was for Demetrius. Melinda had tried to use them in order to gain her son’s praise. Technically he did thank her, but he was very nonchalant about it.

          “Thank you, mother.” Is what he said.

It wasn’t much, but it was all she wanted to hear him say. Melinda was just a little disappointed that that she rarely saw him since he was always studying, even if school was out for the season.

Once all the tea cakes were finished, the ladies bid each other farewell.

          “It’s time I get back home. Thank you for the tea, Melinda.” Said Mrs. Blackbell.

“I have my fitting in a half hour, so I should go too.” Said Fallon.

Melinda replied, “Yes, it’s getting late. Thank you all for joining me today.”

And so, all of Melinda’s friends took their leave, but Melinda didn’t want to go back inside the house just yet. It was a very nice day outside, and it wasn’t like she had anything else to do today. So, she ventured further into her garden.

Although the summer season was close to ending, the temperature was still warm enough to be outside without a jacket. Melinda passed by a small water fountain with pink roses planted around its base. The gentle sound of the rippling water could honestly lull her to sleep, and that combined with the sun’s warmth and the birds singing sweetly in the trees, would it be so bad if she just lay down in the grass and relax? She looked around the area to make sure she was alone, and there was no one around but her.

          Good, I’m safe.

Then, Melinda collapsed to the ground and laid on her back. The grass felt soft, and the sun’s rays warmed her face. She closed her eyes and sighed dreamily. She could just fall asleep right there.

“Milady?”

Melinda didn’t move from her spot, but she did open her eyes a tad. “Hello, Jeeves. Is something wrong?”

Jeeves stood above her, his body shading her from the sun. His shoulders looked more broad from the ground. She wasn’t going to lie; it wasn’t a bad view.

          “I was going to ask you that.” He said to her quietly. “I noticed you were laying flat on the ground and I wondered if you were feeling unwell.”

Understandable. She rarely just laid on the ground, she mostly would sit on a porch swing and enjoy the garden that way. Obviously seeing her on the ground not moving would be a cause for concern without context.

          “No need to worry. I’m just relaxing.” she said softly. “The sun feels nice, and our garden’s sounds were lulling me to sleep.”

Jeeves chuckled, but immediately shut himself up. He didn’t know if he was allowed to be so casual with the First Lady. Well, she did choose to express her concerns to him of all people, and she wasn’t too worried about the fact that she was lying on the ground outside in front of her butler. He thought she’d jolt upwards and fix her appearance the moment he made his presence known.

Neither of them had spoken for so long that Melinda had just fallen asleep right there. Should he just leave her there until sunset? Jeeves was unsure of whether or not to wake her up, but she looked so peaceful. It would be rude to interrupt her further.

So, he came up with an idea. He wouldn’t leave her out here on her own, but he wouldn’t lie down with her either, instead he would pull up a chair and sit by her side to guard her. Just until she woke up herself, or if she was still asleep by sunset, he would carry her inside himself.

An hour went by, and still Melinda slept on the ground. Jeeves had to admit, sitting in the garden on a day like this was relaxing, and had he not been trained to stay awake while on active duty, he would have been out a while ago. Since he needed to keep himself awake, he took this opportunity to ponder Melinda’s situation.

She told me that she wasn’t happy, that her marriage to Master Desmond was devoid of love. Why doesn’t she talk about it with her lady friends? Is she afraid they won’t understand? I’m only a servant in her household, so why did she decide to trust me with her secrets?

Jeeves took his eyes away from the setting sun and looked down at Melinda, who still slept soundly. I can’t think of a reason why her husband wouldn’t treasure her. She’s kind, caring for others, her enthusiasm is contagious, and she’s…breathtakingly beautiful. Wait, what am I thinking!? He internally kicked himself for having such a thought. He was the butler of the Desmond family, a job that was a very high honor to be given. He couldn’t be caught fawning over the wife of the Prime Minister, that would get him in so much trouble.

But still, he couldn’t deny that what he had just thought was true. Jeeves took a deep breath and stood up from his chair. The sun was almost set, it was time to head back inside. So, he gently picked up Melinda off the ground, being careful to not wake her, and he carried her back toward the house.

          That was unacceptable, Jeeves. Even if she’s not happy in this marriage, she is still married. You must bury your emotions, forget that you ever thought it.

But to be honest…that would prove to be easier said than done.

Chapter Text

Melinda rose at the crack of dawn, as it was part of her routine. It was also one of her favorite parts of the day, seeing the orange light shine its rays through the window across the room filled her heart with warmth. But there was no time to waste just staring at the rising sun, there was much to be done today, starting with meeting her family for breakfast in the dining room downstairs.

Once she had put on a casual outfit of flared tan slacks, an emerald green blouse with transparent sleeves, and brown sandals, Melinda headed down the long spiral staircase. Her heels clicked on the polished wooden floor with every step she took, passing by house servants that bowed a greeting to her before continuing with their duties. Everyone that managed the upkeep of the Desmond Mansion had to arise before dawn to make sure that everything was in order before the lord and lady of the house woke up.

However, she felt that something was different, but she couldn’t think of what it could be. “Hmm…” Melinda strode through the living area next to the foyer and looked around curiously.

         Did something happen before I woke up?

Up ahead, she spotted Jeeves speaking quietly to another butler that was helping him carry the meal dishes out to the dining room. “Jeeves…” The man turned his head at the sound of her voice, then he and the other butler bowed a greeting.

         “Good morning, Milady.” he said. “Did you sleep well?”

         “Yes.” she replied as she approached him. “But my husband wasn’t in the room when I woke up. Is he already in the dining room?”

Jeeves smiled, “Master Desmond left the mansion earlier. He’s going to be away for a day or two. John and I are making preparations for you and Master Demmy’s breakfast. So, please take a seat at the table and Master Demmy will arrive shortly.”

Melinda did as Jeeves suggested and sat in her usual spot at the table. On the outward appearance, she seemed calm and collected, but on the inside, she was just short of shouting out with joy and excitement! At the very least she let a smile show on her face. This is fantastic! It’s so rare for Donovan to be out on work trips without me, so this is a divine blessing! I get a day or two to myself!

Eventually, the table was set with two glass plates and polished silverware, and in the center were dishes containing freshly-cooked omelets, buttered biscuits, sausage links, a glass pitcher of orange juice (mostly for young Demetrius), and Melinda had a cup of jasmine tea. Demetrius came in just after Jeeves and the other butler had finished preparing the table. He was already dressed and ready for the day, although he wasn’t planning to leave the mansion at all.

For some reason, Donovan had given Demetrius a strict schedule, and that included studying all day, only taking breaks for meals. But why? Why was Donovan so hellbent on making his son study all day? Demetrius was a child, but because of his father, he wasn’t even allowed to act like one. Of course he needed to be ready to take the entrance exam for Eden College soon, but there have to be times when her son can take a break and enjoy his childhood, because it won’t last forever.

The mother and son ate in silence, but it felt so unnatural to Melinda. She didn’t talk much when her husband was at the table, but now he wasn’t here, she didn’t have to watch what she said, she could have an honest conversation with her son. So, since he wasn’t talking, she got the ball rolling.

         “Did you sleep well, dear?”

Demetrius looked up from his meal to his mother, his eyes were wide, but they’d always been like that. Apparently he inherited more of his father’s facial features, which slightly irked Melinda, but she tried to not let it bother her. And despite not spending a whole lot of time with him, she was able to tell how he was feeling through his eyes, she was the only one able to do so, everyone else thought he was too difficult to read. And at the moment, he was just awake and calm.

         “I slept fine.”

“That’s good to hear!” she said joyfully. She took another sip of her tea, not too sure of how to continue the conversation. Maybe a few simple questions will suffice. “Are you excited to start school this year?” Demetrius shrugged and ate his omelet. “Not excited, but I am ready to pass the exam. I’ll be an Imperial Scholar like father was. I’ll make him proud.”

Melinda smiled a little, but it vanished as quickly as it had appeared. She was glad he was determined to reach his goal, but she was a little disappointed that he didn’t say anything about making her proud. Well, he didn’t really know her that well, but maybe she could change that. She looked out the window on the right hand wall and saw that it was a beautiful day outside, too beautiful to just stay inside doing nothing.

Then Melinda smiled at Demetrius and leaned forward slightly, “Demetrius, why don’t we go for an outing?”

“An outing?”

        “Yes. Summer is almost over, and this is one of the last days it will be warm outside. So, let me take you somewhere special!” His first outing did need to be somewhere special, but perhaps they should go to a place they won’t be hounded by onlookers or potential paparazzi. She didn’t want cameras following them around all day. Thankfully, she knew of a great place they could go.

First things first, she needed to know if he wanted to go. From what she could tell, he was considering the idea, and that was good. Then, Demetrius looked up from his plate and asked, “But what about my studies?” Melinda smiled and replied, “You can take a day off. Don’t worry, your father isn’t here, and surely one day out of the house won’t hurt.” She glanced up at Jeeves who stood across the room, she was silently asking if it truly won’t hurt. He smiled back at her and answered, “One day off is a small price to pay in the grand scheme of things. As long as he is able to retain what he’s learned so far, I wouldn’t worry too much.”

         “Then it’s settled!” Melinda said happily, clapping her hands together. “Jeeves, could you please prepare my suitcase? And do pack bathing suits for us.” Then Jeeves bowed and exited the room while Melinda stood up and walked over to the telephone. She dialed a number and held it to her ear.

         “You’ve reached the Astor Household. May I ask who is calling?” The voice that answered was of a young woman, possibly a maid.

Melinda told the woman, “This is Melinda Desmond, the daughter of the Astors, could I please speak to my mother?”

         “Oh! Lady Melinda!” exclaimed the woman. “Please wait a moment while I bring her to the phone.” The woman’s voice vanished and there was a momentary pause until another voice spoke through the phone. “Oh, Melinda, dear! It’s been too long since you’ve called! Your father and I hope you’re doing well.”

         “Yes, I’m doing alright. Mother, if it’s not too much trouble, could I bring my son to our lakeside home in Steunburg?”

         “Of course, sweetheart. We’ve assigned a caretaker to that house, so everything should be in order. And don’t worry, I’ll give him the day off so you and your boy can have some quality time together.”

Melinda smiled at the thought of getting the chance to actually be a mother to Demetrius. She was certain that if he showed a genuine smile, it would melt her heart into a puddle. She thanked her mother for giving her permission to use the lakeside house, but before they hung up, her mother said one more thing. “Melinda, before you go, please promise that you’ll bring little Demmy over for a visit, I haven’t seen him since he was a newborn.”

         “Of course, mother. Expect us to visit before school begins.” Then they said goodbye and Melinda returned to the dining room to finish her meal.

Melinda and Demetrius managed to arrive at the house in Steunburg at 10:00 AM, thanks to their driver who knew of a quick route to the city, and Melinda gave him directions to her family’s lakeside house. Demetrius was a little nervous, because this was his first time travelling to a different city and also it was his first time going out with his mother.

The house that they were visiting had been constructed with wooden logs and stone and was 2000 sqft. On the side they were dropped off, the house was at the top of a slight incline with a long driveway to the left. The porch stretched around both sides of the house leading to the backyard where there was a big lake that could be seen if one had just peeked around the corner.

         “So, what do you think?” Melinda asked.

Demetrius looked like he was at a loss for words. He’d never been in this kind of area. The property was in a forested area, if there were any neighbors, they weren’t close by. His mother took his hand in hers and led him up the hill and up to the front door. She took out the key that she’d gotten from the caretaker and unlocked the house’s front door.

The interior had a cozy atmosphere. The walls, just like the exterior, were constructed with smooth logs, and the floor was polished mahogany decorated with a deep red rug beneath the coffee table. In the kitchen, everything had already been organized and put into place, from the glass dishes to the various utensils, and the glistening silverware were placed neatly in their drawer.

Melinda admired the living room furniture, running her hand along the beautiful ivory sofa. “Isn’t this wonderful, Demmy? The house looks nice and cozy, doesn’t it?”

         “It’s a lot smaller than our house.” he said, looking around.

“Yes, it is. But I think it’s just the right size.” She set her suitcase down on the coffee table and opened it up. “Let’s put our swimsuits on and we’ll take a dip in the lake out back.” Right after she said that, Demetrius felt a chill up his spine, but she didn’t seem to notice his expression visibly change into a nervous one.

Soon after they finished getting dressed, Melinda stepped outside with their towels. She felt an incredible sense of nostalgia wash over her as she gazed upon the clear blue lake stretching a mile out. This was her favorite place when she was younger. Her parents had this place built for when they wanted to get away from the big city noise and just enjoy the peaceful sounds of nature. Even looking at it now, the yard looked the same as it always had. The caretaker was spectacular at his job.

Breathtaking.

She looked over her shoulder and smiled, “You can come on out Demetrius. No need to be shy.” It took him a minute, but little Demetrius finally stepped out onto the deck out back, dressed in dark blue swim trunks. He still looked a little nervous, but Melinda just assumed it was because he wasn’t used to wearing so little.

         “Come on now, honey. It’s alright.”

Maybe he just needed to see that it was safe to go in. So she removed her towel and revealed her red polka dot one piece swimsuit and she ran down toward the lake, then she jumped in the shallow water, splashing and waving her son over. “Look, Demmy, it’s nice and warm today.” Demetrius looked from the water to her and slowly approached the lake. But he stopped right when the water hit his toes.

         “I can’t…” he muttered. “I can’t swim.”

Melinda frowned, looking at her son with pity. Well, of course he wouldn’t know how to swim. He’s always been cooped up in the mansion studying, so he’s had no need to learn that. But now’s the time for a change. She outstretched her hands and said, “Hold onto me, I’ll teach you.”

Though he was still a little scared, he took his mother’s hands and she helped him wade out into the water, and as the water got deeper, she told him to lean forward and kick his feet.

         “Don’t kick frantically. If you flail, you won’t be able to keep yourself afloat.” Then she held him up by his stomach, “Now stretch out your arms and push the water behind you.”

The boy did as he was told and practiced the movements of both his arms and legs while him mother held him until he got used to it. Soon, she was able to let him go and he was able to swim forward, but he still had some difficulty treading water. Still, he had fun playing in the water with Melinda, who never left his side. She taught him other things too, like how to build a sandcastle, and where to look for cool rocks or shells, and just how to have fun in general.

Eventually, Melinda decided to get out of the water and sunbathed for a while, but she still kept a close eye on Demetrius, even though he was just walking along the shore looking for rocks in the sand and along the edges of the stone border. She needed this. A day without feeling watched, a day without duties, a day spent only with her son, being a normal mother.

         “Mother!”

Melinda sat up and looked to see Demetrius running up to her holding something. “What is it?” Demetrius stopped beside her chair and held up the object. It was a beautiful smooth pink rock with intricate swirls on it.

         “Look, Mother! It’s a Pink Agate!” the boy said in excitement. "I read about it in a book!” Melinda giggled and replied, “That’s amazing that you know what it’s called. It’s a beautiful rock.” She half expected him to just smile and run back to the water, but he instead placed the stone in her hand. She almost asked why he gave it to her, but he spoke before she did, “It’s for you! I read that it’ll give you confidence, strength, and courage.”

Melinda didn’t know what to say. Her son was giving her a gift, even though he hardly spent any time with her? It was such a sweet gesture! So, she held out her arms and Demetrius leaned into her embrace. As she held him close, she whispered to him, “Thank you, sweetheart. Thank you so much.”

They stayed like that for a minute, until Melinda gently pushed him away and said, “I think it’s time for lunch. Let’s head inside and I’ll make you something special.”

         “You know how to cook?” Demetrius asked.

         “I do. I used to cook with my mother.” Then she began to tell him all about the dishes she made as a child as they entered the house.

Today was full of firsts for Demetrius. His first time away from home, his first time swimming, his first day of quality time with his mother, and it was his first time trying her cooking! Melinda had made him a meal consisting of sliced ham served with herbs, potato gratin, and asparagus. Along with his meal, she served him a tall glass of milk.

         “I hope you’re enjoying your food!” said Melinda with a proud smile.

She didn’t really need to hope he enjoyed it, because she could tell he loved it just by watching him eat it all. The seasoning and the juices from the food were all over his mouth, crumbs sticking to his cheeks, and with every bite, he had the cutest, most content smile on his face. And his smile melted her heart just as she thought it would.

Seeing him happy and smiling like this, I can see that he’s inherited more of my features than I thought. He may have his father’s eyes, but he has my smile.

Throughout the rest of the afternoon, Melinda and Demetrius played as much as they could before their escort came back for them. Melinda even took Demetrius for a walk along a trail that went around the property, periodically quizzing him on what would likely be on the entrance exam.

Demetrius looked up at his mother and asked, “Mother, what will school be like?” She smiled down at him and replied, “Oh, not a whole lot different from your usual studies. However, what will be different is that there will be other kids there, and I hope you’ll make a lot of friends.”

         “I will!” he happily exclaimed. “I’ll make a bunch of friends, and I’ll be the coolest kid there!”

Melinda laughed and swooped Demetrius off his feet and gave him the biggest hug, “Oh, I bet you will!”

Upon arriving back at the house, Melinda allowed Demetrius to take a nap while she packed up their things. She wished they didn’t have to leave, but she had to be back at the mansion before her husband came home, otherwise he would know that she interfered with Demetrius’s strict schedule without his permission. But it was as Jeeves said: as long as he was able to remember what he’s learned so far, there was nothing to worry about.

The escort arrived at 8:00 PM, and all the way to the car, Melinda carried her sleeping son as he had his arms wrapped around her neck. Even as the car took off, he remained asleep on his mother’s lap as she held him.

The next morning at the Desmond Mansion, after going through her morning routine, Melinda walked quietly past her son’s room, assuming he was still asleep, but she was proven wrong because he opened his door just as she passed it. He was already dressed and ready for the day, and unlike most days, he was smiling.

         “Good morning, Demetrius.” said Melinda.

         “Good morning, Mother!” he replied. He shut the door behind him and reached his arms out for a hug. She accepted it and the two walked downstairs to the dining room together. Many of the household staff noticed the unusually chipper expression on the young master’s face and took a moment to glance over their shoulder at him.

Jeeves noticed this as well, and when he asked them how they enjoyed their outing the other day, Demetrius immediately began telling him about how much fun he had swimming there, and that they even played catch with a Frisbee at one point of the day. The young boy giggled and asked Melinda, “Can we play more outside today?”

         “Of course.” she told him. “But first things first, you have to get some of your studying done.” Demetrius agreed and returned to his meal. Jeeves watched him with a small smile. I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen Master Demmy smile and laugh like this.

But as the day went on, and during the hours that Melinda spent outside with Demetrius, Jeeves overheard some of the maids whispering to each other.

         “Isn’t that just the cutest thing you’ve ever seen?” said the younger maid.

         “Yes, he’s so happy and playful now. Much different than how he acted before.” said another.

Then the third maid there looked at the others with a nervous expression. “But what about when Master Desmond returns? Will he be alright with how he’s behaving?”

         “What do you mean?” asked the younger maid.

“Master Desmond has always kept him on a strict schedule to study all day. Surely he’ll notice that Demetrius is acting differently. What if he doesn’t like this new energetic behavior?”

Jeeves backed into the room behind him and stood against the wall. She has a point. Demetrius’s father might fear that he’ll get distracted during his study hours. He wasn’t anything like this before. Master Desmond will definitely notice the change…and he won’t be happy about it.

Chapter Text

The Eden College Entrance Exam, held on the first Monday of September this year. Children of the country’s elite and wealthy would soon try their hand at getting accepted into one of the most prestigious schools in Ostania, and Demetrius Desmond was determined to be among the accepted.

          His father told him that he would wait at the mansion while he took the test, which was a little disappointing, but when his mother offered to accompany him instead, Demetrius didn’t stay upset for long.

The exam was held at the Berlint Exam Hall, which was just a few miles away from Eden College, and once Melinda and Demetrius arrived, they were instructed by an attendant to make their way to hall 2 where the students gathered.

          As they walked through the lobby and into the hallway, Demetrius marveled at the building’s interior design. He was fascinated by it, and it warmed Melinda’s heart that he was finally going to go to school. As a mother, this was a big moment for her to witness; her child, attending Eden College. Just a week earlier, Demetrius had turned 6, and besides the cake that she made for him that day, this event was another way to celebrate that, and when he was accepted into the school, they would have to do something else to celebrate that.

When they reached hall 2, Melinda knelt down and gave her son a tight hug. “Do your best, dear.” she whispered. Then she and Demetrius separated to take their respective seats.

There were 28 desks in the room, 4 rows of 7 desks, and including Demetrius, there were 4 children at each desk, and that was more kids than he’d seen in his life so far. He sat at the front desk in the 3rd row and on either side of him were kids he didn’t know, and that made him nervous. It wasn’t just that he didn’t know anyone here, it was also because he felt out of place, like he didn’t belong here. His eyes darted around the room, and although none of the kids were paying attention to him, he just felt like he was being judged. He didn’t know the thoughts of the other kids; he didn’t know how they operated. They really could be judging him right now.

All this anxiety caused his hands to tremble, he was starting to feel scared, and all the knowledge from his lessons at home began to fade and replace themselves with negative thoughts.

I’m gonna fail. I won’t make friends, and I won’t become an Imperial Scholar, then Mother and Father will be disappointed. I can’t-

          Stop! He shook away the bad thoughts and calmed himself down. In the books he previously read, he knew that the best way to calm anxiety right now is to just take deep breaths and redirect his thoughts. He looked down at the test and calmed himself.

It’s okay. I got this. The test is the only thing I should be focused on right now.

______________

As the children waited for the exam to begin, their parents waited in the hallway just outside the door. Melinda sat there quietly, praying that her son would be alright, because she also figured that being around so many kids right away might give him anxiety, and that could hinder his concentration.

          I feel like I should have told him that other children would be taking the test with him today. He just turned 6 just last week, and up until now, he’s never interacted with anyone his age. Oh, I do hope that he’ll make some friends soon.

The exam started at 10 AM, and as he started to answer the questions, Demetrius finally got back in his comfort zone and was able to put all his concentration toward the test. Since the questions on this test were like child’s play to him, answering each one was a breeze and he ended up being one of the first students to finish. But the exam itself didn’t end until one hour later, and they all had to wait 5 days before the results were posted on the boards outside. Nonetheless, Demetrius and Melinda went home feeling very confident.

_____________

That Saturday, Melinda stood with Demetrius outside the Exam Hall searching for his number on the poster boards outside.

          B199, B199. Please let it be there… Her eyes locked on the top left corner, and there it was, in bold characters: B199. She smiled and pointed it out for Demetrius to see, “There it is, Demmy! You passed!” Demetrius broke into a smile as well and immediately he jumped for joy, “Yes! I did it!” Then he jumped into Melinda’s arms and they gave each other the biggest hug.

This was an awesome feeling for him! The excitement of going to school and learning so much more than he did at home was something he couldn’t wait to experience, because although the home lessons were practically forced on him, he still loved to learn, and this new school life was a way he could expand on that desire.

As expected, Demetrius passed with flying colors, and Melinda couldn’t be more proud of him. But this had merely been the first phase of the exam. The next phase was the part she wasn’t looking forward to, and the reason why was because the family interview was next, and that meant she couldn’t take Demetrius by herself, Donovan had to go as well.

_____________

It was time for the final phase, and Melinda put on her best clothes for this occasion; a royal purple midi dress with cuffed sleeves, a high neckline, and a hemline that flared just below her knees, she also paired it with gold pumps. Since purple and gold were often associated with royalty, Melinda felt them to be appropriate colors for this specific interview.

Her hair was styled like normal, and she had applied wine red lipstick to give a mature appearance to her face. She didn’t really want to apply eyeshadow, but just so it looked like she put a little effort into her appearance, she added light brown eyeshadow. And once she was ready, she went to fetch her son.

Jeeves and the other butler, John, were preparing Demetrius’s outfit, which was an adorable black suit with a burgundy red tie, completed with tiny black dress shoes. Jeeves had been the one to groom Demetrius’s hair back and out of his face, much like his own hair was styled.

          Demetrius turned away from the mirror and hurried over to her, “How do I look, mother?” Melinda smiled at her boy, and just for a moment, she saw him all grown up and ready to venture out into the world. That was all she wanted for him, and this was the first step toward that future.

          “Absolutely perfect. It’s almost time for us to leave. Are you ready?”

Demetrius smiled and nodded; his eyes filled with determination; he then took her hand.  But just before they went downstairs, Melinda overheard the very faint voices of Jeeves and John.

          “Keep your thoughts to yourself, son.” John whispered.

          “Yes, sir.”

Melinda stole a quick glance over her shoulder and managed to see Jeeves standing at the door with his eyes shut, but his cheeks showed a tinge of red. She smiled in amusement. The young butler looked adorable when he blushed.

When Melinda and Demetrius reached the foyer, Donovan was already standing at the door and waiting for them. He looked as he normally did; the only difference was that he was wearing a grey suit.

The doorman opened the door for the Desmonds and they were all escorted out to their limousine. And from the top of the stairs, Jeeves watched them as they went. He didn’t say anything, but he truly hoped that everything would go well, for young Demetrius’s sake, and for Melinda’s.

_____________

Demetrius stared ahead at all the kids and parents walking along the wide, stone path that stretched all the way toward Eden’s 3 gathering halls. All these kids around him had the same goal in mind; to prove themselves worthy of attending the school, and he needed to do the same. But he was still afraid that he might do something wrong that could disqualify him.

          I have to calm down. He thought. Just don’t pay attention to everyone else, or just think of them as friends that you’ll have all the time in the world to talk to if you pass.

He received one more reassuring glance from his mother, and instantly he felt better. Then he and both of his parents walked onward with their heads held high.

In preparation for this exam, his tutors told him what to expect. They told him to expect that the eyes of multiple examiners would be on him at all times and that one slip up could cost him the exam. So he kept his eyes forward and set on his destination. He couldn’t afford to be disqualified. However, he did feel that someone other than the examiners were watching him.

To his right, Melinda was feeling the same way, except she knew who else was watching her, and she tried desperately to not let it bother her.

          I can’t shake this awful feeling. Even without turning his head, he’s watching my every move, listening to every sound I make. I can’t let him distract me from the task at hand. Demetrius needs to be accepted into this school; he needs to socialize with others. He is the only reason I’m here.

To try and take her mind off the feeling, she began to scan the crowd of children for someone that could be a great friend for her son. Up ahead was the son of an air force colonel, and just not too far behind him was the son of a highly respected lawyer. Or perhaps the daughter of that real estate investor that she knew well might be interested, they were just off to their left.

          “Melinda…”

She suddenly felt a chill up her spine and she shot a glance at Donovan. He was giving her that glare he always had when he was displeased or suspicious or in a similar mood, and to her, the way he said her name sounded like a warning. Melinda shut her mouth immediately and she reverted her gaze back to looking straight ahead. She didn’t dare to upset him further.

_____________

The Desmonds were instructed to wait in Hall 1 until they were called in for the interview, and waiting there with them were 230 other families. Truth be told, neither Melinda nor Donovan expected this many applicants to make it this far, only because they were aware of how strict Eden College was in terms of dress codes and mannerisms, which the examiners were judging on their way here.

One by one, the families were called into the interviews, and Demetrius waited close to his mother and tried to keep to himself. He just silently watched as other kids went into the interview and later came back out, some looking happy while others looked disappointed.

          Soon, it will be our turn…

“Hey.” Whispered a small voice.

Who was that? Another kid? He looked from side to side, searching for the source of the voice, until he heard it again. “Over here.” The voice came from behind him, so he turned and saw a little brunette girl standing next to her parents, who were speaking with another pair of parents. She looked nice, but Demetrius didn’t want to get in trouble, so he stood right where he was, but he did wave shyly to her.

          The girl smiled at him and continued to try and make conversation. “My name’s Cordelia. What’s yours?”

          “Demetrius.” He told her.

          “That’s a cool name. Do you wanna be friends?”

Just like that!? He thought. He literally just met the girl, and she wants to be friends with him already? Well, I did tell Mother I’d make a lot of friends here. Maybe she can be my first friend! Demetrius smiled and nodded, “Yes.”

Now, neither Demetrius nor the girl noticed that his mother heard their little exchange, but Demetrius did notice when he looked at her that she was smiling happily.

“Next in line, the Desmond family!”

As Demetrius walked away with his parents, he and the Cordelia girl waved farewell and she whispered, “Do your best!”

_____________

In the interview room, two red, velvet sofas sat across from each other with a mahogany coffee table in between them, and a similar red chair to their left, all four furniture pieces rested on an embroidered green rug. And as the Desmonds expected, three of Eden’s housemasters were the interviewers. One of which Donovan Desmond knew well, and that was Henry Henderson, his former history teacher, now housemaster of Cecile Hall. The other two are Walter Evans of Malcom Hall and Murdoch Swan of Cline Hall.

          “Welcome, Desmonds.” Greeted Henderson.

The Desmonds all bowed a greeting and took their seats. Melinda and Donovan sat on the sofa while Demetrius sat in the chair.

Beginning the interview, Evans was the first to speak. “To start things off, we’ll ask the parents a few questions before we move on to the child. First, might I ask how the both of you met?”

Melinda bit her tongue and allowed her husband to answer the question, because if she said something he didn’t like, there would be consequences. So she listened as he recounted that Melinda’s parents arranged a marriage between himself and Melinda to keep their pharmaceutical company from going bankrupt. The Astors chose him because they had been close with his parents for years and knew the Desmonds well. With the financial support from Donovan’s family, the Astors were saved from going under. Donovan added that they had been married for 6 years.

          “So glad to hear that you two are doing well.” Evans replied.

‘Well’ is a very inaccurate description. But she couldn’t say that. If she showed any evidence that she and Donovan were estranged from each other, then that might ruin Demetrius’s chance of getting accepted.

“Mrs. Desmond,” Mr. Evans began, “How are you adjusting to this life as the First Lady? Are you as busy as compared to your husband?”

          “I wouldn’t say that I’m as busy as him, but I do to attend certain events with my husband every now and then, to give our support and to enjoy our time together. Also, my close friends and I have formed a group that will host charity events or weekly luncheons. But most of my days are spent at home with my family.”

Evans nodded in approval, “Sounds like a pleasant life, then. Now onto the next question.” He turned back to Donovan, “Why did you choose this school?”

          “I’d like my son to attend the same school that I did. Eden College played an important role in bringing me up to be the man I am today. If my son is accepted, he will no doubt grow to understand how the world operates and gain the appropriate view of his peers. Demetrius will succeed in this school, and I know that Eden’s professors are prepared to make it so.”

These questions were fairly easy to answer, but that didn’t mean she necessarily liked the answers. Like the one that Donovan just gave. To anyone else, it sounded like a reasonable answer, and to some extent it was, but she knew that her husband just wanted Demetrius to be another version of himself. One that would follow in his footsteps and become essentially his foot soldier. She didn’t want that for him, but what could she do to change that?

          “Say, Mrs. Desmond, you look rather glum. What’s the matter?” Melinda looked up at the voice. The one that spoke was Swan. She didn’t know him, and yet she could immediately tell that he was trying to antagonize her. She knew because of his tone.

          “I’m quite alright, Master Swan.” She replied. “Thank you for your concern.”

Swan was giving her the stink eye, and she didn’t like it. But she knew her place and didn’t provoke him. He smirked and went on, “You just seemed like you were a little disappointed, that’s all. Do you often disagree with your husband?” If Melinda wasn’t disappointed before, she was now. She looked over to Henderson and asked, “Is he always this antagonistic?”

           Henderson immediately got the message and said to Swan, “That question was rather inelegant, Master Swan. You should refine your language around the interviewees, especially when they are the First Family. They deserve our respect.” He then apologized to Melinda for Swan’s rudeness, and Evans went on to ask Demetrius a couple questions.

“Let’s move on and ask the child some questions, shall we?” he said with a nervous smile. Demetrius should have no problem with answering, he was prepared for this. Evans asked, “Can you please state your name and address?”

          Demetrius nodded, “My name is Demetrius Desmond. I live in Berlint, and my address is 21019 Welwyne Avenue.”

“Thank you. Can you tell me what you’d like to do when you get into the school?” Demetrius paused for a second, like he had an idea of what to say, but shot it down. He knew what his father wanted him to say, but personally he didn’t want to. So, he quickly came up with a solution.

          “I want to work hard to become an Imperial Scholar, and make a lot of friends while I do it.” Great, they liked that answer. I bet Mother and Father are okay with me saying that. But as soon as he looked over to his parents, he noticed that his mother was looking a little nervous. Why does she look sick?

And his father, although he appeared unfazed, there was something about his eyes that made him look curious.

After that question, Evans took a break and allowed Master Henderson to ask the next one. Melinda silently pleaded for him to ask a better question, something that wouldn’t raise Donovan’s suspicions any further.

          “I’d like to know how you spend your days, Mister Desmond. Are there any elegant activities you like to do?”

Melinda pleaded harder. If Demetrius talked about their trip to her family’s vacation house, she’d be done for! Please don’t talk about it, please don’t!

          “I spend a lot of my time studying in our library. Father wants to bring me up to be successful in the future. I like reading our books, it’s enjoyable.”

Whew!

“But it’s not as fun as spending time with Mother.” He said with a bright smile. Melinda’s eyes opened wide, watching her son gloat about how she took him outside in the garden to play after his study hours. He went on and on how they played catch and how they sometimes dipped their feet in their pond.

And then he mentioned the house.

          “And just a month ago, Mother took me to her parents’ vacation house and I learned how to swim! It was so fun!” Evans chuckled, “I’m sure it was. Was there a chef there to cook your lunch?”

          “No. Mother made me lunch. She cooks better than any chef!” Demetrius at this point was all smiles. He was just so happy to talk about how much fun he and his mother had. In any other circumstance, Melinda would have loved to hear him be so cheerful.

But not here. Not while her husband was in the room. He was never informed about their trip; she specifically asked the house staff to keep it secret. And now here her son was, spilling all of it.

          It’s not his fault, he didn’t know, it’s not his fault, he didn't know, it’s not his fault, not his fault, not his fault, not his fault…

          “You are incredibly expressive, Mister Desmond.” Said Henderson. “And your written exam grade shows that you are a gifted child indeed. You will fit in just fine here at Eden College. What do you say, Master Evans?”

          “I say the same as you.” He gleefully agreed. Then they both looked at Swan, who was sitting there with his arms crossed. “Well, he answered the questions well enough. Yes, I agree that he belongs here in this school.”

And that was that. The interview was completed, and Demetrius’s acceptance was all but guaranteed now. That was what mattered most. The Desmonds bid the housemasters farewell and walked back out to the hall and the next family was called in. When they passed by the little girl that Demetrius had met earlier, it was clear that she was very happy to see that the interview went well, and Demetrius quietly wished her well before exiting the venue with his family.

_____________

When Melinda and her family arrived home, she felt like an inmate returning to her cell. Although she had completed the task of getting her son into school, her troubles were far from over. The hawk that stood beside her would almost certainly pull her aside for an intense conversation about her unapproved secret outing. She didn’t have to see his face to know he was upset, she could feel the dark, intimidating aura emitting from him.

          “I’ll…be upstairs.”

Before he could say anything back, Melinda walked briskly up the stairs and down the hall to her and Donovan’s bedroom. She passed by Jeeves and Demetrius on the way, but didn’t say anything, even though Jeeves greeted her, she didn’t even look at him. Her mind was too swarmed with her own panicked thoughts to acknowledge anyone else.

She entered her room and shut the door behind her and leaned against it. Finally, she was alone, but her thoughts wouldn’t allow her the luxury of having silence.

          Now you’ve done it, Melinda. You’ve angered him! Who knows what he’ll do to you? He’s never been physically violent, but that could change at any second! You took Demetrius on a trip while your husband was away, and you practically ordered Jeeves and the house staff to keep it secret. This is all your fault! Your fault!

Those words echoed inside her head over and over, she felt that she might go mad. The thoughts were too loud, so she sat there in front of the door, praying to whatever deity that would hear for peace and quiet. She just wanted the fear she felt to go away.

Chapter Text

Autumn had entered Berlint earlier than anyone expected, the leaves were already changing color and decorating the parks and sidewalks when they fell from their trees. The temperature had also dropped down to the mid-50s in the past week, and early this morning, the temperature was a chilly 52 degrees. Mornings like this made Melinda want to sleep in, snuggled under the warm blankets and safe in her dreams. She would have if the sound of Donovan getting out of bed didn’t wake her up.

He was dressed and ready for the day within 15 minutes, but he did it quietly, as if he were trying not to disturb his wife. Melinda obviously wasn’t asleep anymore, but she didn’t want to leave the comforts of the bed just yet, so she didn’t say anything.

Before Donovan walked out of the room, he turned to face her, eyes wide and alert already. Melinda had to suppress a shiver. It was only 5 AM and he was looking at her like she just tried to poison him or something.

          “You won’t take Demetrius to see the results today. I’ll send someone to see them.” He told her.

Melinda opened her mouth to speak, but she was interrupted by him. He sounded very upset. The morning was already off to a rough start. “After you’ve eaten breakfast, I’d like to speak to you privately.” And then he left the room.

So, this is it. She thought somberly. I knew it was going to happen, but I didn’t expect it to be so soon. She couldn’t avoid the conversation, she just had to bite the bullet and take it, but she still was afraid of what he’d say.

          It’s okay. Maybe he can be reasoned with. Despite everything, he’s still human, and there’s a small chance that he’ll listen to what you have to say.

Melinda pulled herself out of bed and over to her wardrobe. She dressed comfortably today, a simple orange maxi-skirt, a beige turtle-neck sweater, and brown ankle boots with soft wool on the inside.

The dining table already had the meal spread on top of it, and at her seat, Jeeves was just finishing pouring tea into her cup. But her husband wasn’t here, even though he was out of bed. Melinda wondered if he was having breakfast in his office. She internally cringed. He must be so upset that he doesn’t want to eat in the same room, not even to keep an eye on me.

          “Good morning, Milady. Your breakfast is ready.” Jeeves pulled back her chair for her and pushed her up to the table once she sat down. The food looked delicious; hotcakes served with egg muffins and fresh bacon, and the usual beverages of tea and milk. And it must have just been because of the nerves, but Melinda stacked her plate with an abnormal amount of food, more than what she usually ate in the morning.

Even Jeeves was surprised at how much she had on her plate, not to mention the pace at which she was eating it all. Then Demetrius came in and sat in his own seat, and like Jeeves, he also noticed Melinda’s strange behavior.

          “Mother?” the boy said, looking puzzled. “You’re acting weird. Is something wrong?”

Melinda swallowed what she had in her mouth and guzzled much of her tea. “Oh, don’t worry, honey…I just reeeaallly love today’s breakfast. I’m totally fine!” But when she said that, Jeeves noticed her eye twitching a little.

Something must have her on edge this morning. It must have something to do with whatever happened at the interview. His eyes lowered to a sympathetic expression. Seeing her like this worried him. He needed to do his job and stop her before she gorged herself sick. So, he hurried to the kitchen and returned with a tall glass of water.

          “Milady, please slow down.” He took away her plate before she could take anything else and placed the water in front of her. Finally, she calmed down, but she just stared at the glass in front of her, probably wondering how it got there so fast.

          “Eating like that will make you sick. Have some water instead.” He sighed and took out his handkerchief, “Besides, Master Demmy needs to eat too, and he can’t do that if all of it is on your plate.”

They both looked over to Demetrius, and he was just now choosing what he wanted to put on his plate. He didn’t say anything, but he did glance at his mother. It was clear that he was concerned about her as well. Then it was like Melinda realized how boorish her behavior was. She cleaned herself up with the handkerchief Jeeves handed her and took a deep breath.

          “I’m sorry. I just have a lot on my mind right now.” She looked down at the water and frowned, “I’ll be fine.” Then she picked up the glass and drank.

Thanks to Jeeves, Melinda had calmed down some. But she still felt nervous as she approached her husband’s office door.

          Get a grip, girl. Just let him say what he wants to say and then you can leave.

She reached forward to grab the doorknob, but stopped short. Before she waltzed into the lion’s den, she remembered something that might help. In her room on her vanity desk was the Pink Agate stone that Demetrius gave her, it was now socketed into a gold bracelet so she could keep it close to her whenever she was feeling nervous, like right now. She slipped it onto her wrist before going back to the doors to Donovan’s study, and finally she gave the knob a gentle twist.

If there had been candles lit anywhere in the hallway, they would have snuffed out as soon as she opened the door. It genuinely felt like her husband’s anger was a strong wind that hit her out of nowhere; a force that made her want to run back to the safety of her room. But she instead stepped forward and met his wide-eyed gaze.

          “Melinda,” Donovan began. Like always, him saying her name sent chills throughout her body, but it was like the chills intensified. But she stood her ground as he continued.

          “I don’t like that you took Demetrius off-property without my permission. And you disrespected me further by keeping it all a secret from me; you ordered the house staff to keep it from me as well. That was unacceptable, Melinda.” Donovan paused, waiting to see if she would reply, but she didn’t. She knew he wasn’t finished yet.

          “You also took him away from his studies. I have him on a strict schedule for a reason. He needs to be completely focused on his future, not wasting his time fooling around in the garden or swimming in the lake. Of what use are those activities going be in school?”

Melinda could barely contain the anger she was feeling. He didn’t understand anything about the importance of what she had done. Still, she couldn’t just start screaming at him, she needed to be civil. All this can still be solved by talking it out like the adults they were.

          She took a deep breath and looked him straight in the eyes. “Despite the complete and utter frustration I feel right now, I believe we can solve this calmly and quietly. Demetrius has needs other than education. He is a child that needs to experience fun and be carefree, without round-the-clock responsibilities. Yes, he will need to study hard to keep his grades up and become an Imperial Scholar like he wants to, but he should have time to himself, to let him be his own person and not a carbon copy of his father.”

Donovan flinched a little. Melinda knew she hit a nerve, now she knew with absolute certainty that that was what Donovan wanted to do with Demetrius. Now that was unacceptable.

Her husband didn’t reply, so she continued. “This way that you treat him needs to stop. Because if it goes on, it’s going to change him for the worse.”

          “I disagree.” Donovan shot back. “The way I’m raising the boy, he will be successful in the future. He will raise his country high; he will unify both Ostania and Westalis and bring about peace. But he can’t do that if he’s focused on wasting his time fooling around with others.”

Melinda couldn’t believe what she had just heard. He just flat out confessed his true intentions. This was not the future she wanted her son to have. She knew what he meant by “unify”. She always knew that he considered humans to be simple creatures, and that the only option to settle disputes was through war.

          She shook her head in disgust. “Don’t involve him in this. That’s not what I want for him, and if he finds out what you just said, he won’t want to participate either.”

“How do you know that?”

“Because that’s not how I'm raising him.” She couldn’t conceal her anger anymore, her teeth were bared at him and her eyes shot daggers. “You aren’t Demetrius’s only parent. He’s my son too, and I will do everything in my power to raise him to be a kind, caring, and responsible man.”

That was it, she wasn’t going to further this conversation, she was done. Melinda exited the room and didn’t even look back to see his reaction. It didn’t take long before the tension had left her, but as soon as it did, a massive headache took its place. She went into the living room and sat down on the couch right beside the window. The curtains were pulled back and allowed the morning light to illuminate the room.

For what seemed like the longest time, Melinda sat there holding her head as it throbbed. I hate that man so much, what I wouldn’t give to just take my darling Demetrius and run somewhere far away from here.

Her headache was beginning to tire her, she almost wanted to just lay down and rest, but the sweet aroma of herbal tea pushed that desire away.

Jeeves had entered the room, and he held the teapot and a cup and saucer on a silver tray. He thought she’d be in her room at her desk, so he was a little surprised to catch her in the living room by herself. Usually this room was only used for visiting with guests.

          “Pardon the intrusion, Milady.” He greeted, “Would you like to take your afternoon tea?”

          “Now?” Melinda stiffed a laugh, “It’s not even 10 o’ clock.”

          “True. But you look like you could use a cup.” He held out the tray for her to take the saucer and cup, and he smiled in relief when she accepted it. He didn’t listen to the conversation she had with Donovan earlier, but he could tell it emotionally drained her, so he thought he’d step in to help.

          “Thank you, Jeeves.” She said as she lifted the cup to her lips. The warmth and smell of the tea soothed her. Her headache was still there, but it became less painful.

          “Is there anything else I can do to help, Milady?”

“Do you know where Demetrius is right now?” she asked, to which, he nodded. “Yes. He’s studying in the library. He’s scheduled to go outside for some fresh air at 3 PM.”

          That’s six hours from now. Melinda glanced toward the window and sighed. It was a beautiful day outside. Perhaps just until then, she should get some fresh air herself. “I’d like to go for a stroll in the park. Not our garden, a park away from here.”

          “I’ll bring you your headscarf and sunglasses.” He set the tray down on the table and walked toward the foyer, until he heard her call to him once more.

          "While you’re up there, Jeeves, go to the servants’ quarters and put on something casual.” Jeeves nodded in acknowledgement and continued on his way. But that order just made his thoughts go nuts.

Did she just invite me to walk with her in the park? Is that allowed? Don’t be silly, Jeeves. You offered to be a source of comfort, and she accepted. Besides, it’s only a stroll in the park, nothing serious.

Technically, Melinda wasn’t supposed to leave the property without letting anyone know. Normally she’d tell at least the doorman, but since Jeeves was going with her, she didn’t want anyone else to see them together.

So she waited for him in the hallway just outside the servants’ quarters, already wearing her light green trench coat. She was just missing her headscarf and sunglasses.

She waited a few minutes more, and then he came out of the room wearing his “casual suit”. It was a normal brown suit with a red tie and polished dark brown derbies. He’d also placed a fedora on his head just on the off chance he’d be recognized in town, and he didn’t want to be investigated for being out alone with the First Lady.

          Jeeves handed her the red headscarf and sunglasses, and he looked from side to side to make sure no one was watching them. “Will we go through the front entrance?” he asked. Melinda shook her head and waved him along, “Follow me.”

It was a secret kept only by the Desmonds and a select few of the staff, but there were several secret escape routes throughout the house, and there was one hidden in the mansion’s attic. You had to lift a floor panel that was exactly 6 steps away from the big arched window that overlooked the property’s entrance. The only way to lift it was if you had a suction lifter, and Melinda had one stashed in her coat pocket. It wasn’t big, but the suction cup was strong enough to lift it up.

Once the panel was lifted, they saw a ladder that went down 4 floors, all the way down to basement level. Jeeves was amazed at this; he’d never seen this route before. He asked Melinda, “I was told of several escape doors in this place, but why wasn’t I made aware of this one?”

          “You’re still pretty new here.” Melinda answered. “I believe Donovan was waiting to see if he can trust you before showing you every escape route.”

          “But won’t this prevent him from trusting me?”

Melinda shook her head and began to climb down, “As long as you don't use this exit to smuggle classified documents or important items, then you'll be alright. Besides, you're smarter than to ever participate in espionage."

Well, he supposed that was correct. He wouldn’t dare sell out Donovan Desmond’s private information, it would put him straight into the claws of the unforgiving SSS, and he doesn’t ever want to have to deal with them. Besides, if Melinda or her son were put in danger because of something he did, he wouldn’t ever be able to forgive himself.

The ladder led down into a hallway that stretched out both ways, to the right was the way back into the house, and to the left, the hallway went on for roughly 10 miles, and this would lead to a flight of stairs that went straight up to a metal door. This was the route that Melinda and Jeeves took to sneak away undetected. And once they reached the door, Melinda took the door’s handle.

          “This door is just over the mansion’s property line.” She explained. “If you need to use this exit for any emergency, make sure that the door is closed and locked before taking off.”

When the door opened, they were greeted to a beautiful sight. The hilly field stretched on for miles to the east, and the rising sun shone its rays on the bright green grass. Truthfully it was a sight that Melinda would have loved to gaze at for hours here, but she was still too close to the mansion, and this morning she wanted to be as far away from it as possible.

          “Let’s go.” She said as she started in the direction of the town. Jeeves followed beside her, still feeling a little strange about leaving the grounds while he was supposed to be on duty. Though…he wasn’t taking a premature break or anything. Being Melinda Desmond’s escort to the park could still be considered a responsibility of his. At this point, he was just trying to convince himself that he wasn’t doing anything wrong.

He shook away those thoughts like he would water. He wasn’t going to let them ruin this peaceful morning stroll.

They reached the city streets no problem, and gladly no one recognized either of them, probably because they weren’t the only ones that were dressed in such a way. It didn’t really matter though, because Nightingale Park was just a couple blocks away. And there, there were multiple scenic routes they could take where there wouldn’t be a whole lot of civilians around.

As they expected, there was only a handful of people at the park, going for a morning jog or a stroll like they were. But Melinda still didn’t want to be around anyone else for too long, so she and Jeeves went straight for a trail labeled “Twilight Trek”. And this trail was beautiful; willow trees lined along both sides of the path, their thin green leaves gave the trail a peaceful charm, both shading it and allowing just enough sunlight through for people to navigate themselves through. Some of the leaves had fallen onto the ground, but that really just made it feel more ethereal if anything.

Now that Melinda was out in the fresh, crisp air, she allowed herself to breathe a long sigh of relief. Jeeves smiled at her and said, “Are you feeling better, Milady?”

         “Yes.”

She sighed once more and swung her arms behind her back as she basked in the moment. “I’m so glad that Demetrius is finally going to an actual school. Studying and socializing with other children his age will do him some good. Did I mention that he befriended a young girl just before the interview?”

         “No, I don’t believe you did. I’m happy to hear it.” Jeeves replied. A warmth washed over him at that scrap of news, he was glad that something good came out of that interview. But although Demetrius was accepted into the school and he made a friend already, he wondered what else happened to sour Melinda’s mood. And before he could even open his mouth to ask, she spoke up first, her eyelids lowering in sorrow.

          “Donovan wasn’t happy with what I did. And I fear that I only made the situation worse during our conversation earlier.” Her frown deepened and she brought her hand up to the edge of her lip in anxiety. “What am I going to do now? I told him I would do everything in my power to raise my son to be kind, caring, and responsible. But in truth, I don’t quite know how I can do that with his father still holding the reins on me.”

Jeeves’s eyes looked to the ground, and he pondered his response. Her concern was valid; as it stands right now, Donovan did have her on a tight leash. Sure she managed to build a small relationship with her son, but maintaining it with her husband in the picture was going to be a challenge, at least to have the relationship she wanted to have with Demetrius. Even more of a challenge to bring him up in a way that goes against Donovan’s wishes.

But it wasn’t completely impossible.

          “Master Desmond has plans for the future of the country, and he doesn’t want anyone to get in his way. Seeing you undo his work on Demetrius is causing him to see you as a threat.”

“I know that.”

          “And it’s because he sees you that way, he knows that what you’re doing is working. He’s going to be agitated, and he might even put obstacles in your path, but if you want to remove his influence on Demetrius completely, you have to fight for him.” Melinda scoffed at him, as if he’d just asked her to knock down a mountain. “My husband is the Prime Minister of Ostania, how am I supposed to win that fight?”

Jeeves chuckled and replied, “I can't say. But you’re a strong, smart, and fiercely dedicated woman. I’m certain that you’ll find a way.”

Despite his lack of a definite answer, his words still inspired Melinda, and she had an even stronger desire to free her son from his father’s influence. Jeeves had lifted her spirits once again, further proving that she made the right choice to trust him with her feelings.

          She flashed a smile at him and told him, “You know just what to say to put my fears to rest. Thank you, Jeeves.” He returned her smile and they continued to walk along the trail.

Suddenly, Melinda’s stomach growled and broke the silence between them. She giggled, “I believe that’s our cue to head back.” Then Jeeves looked down at his watch and nodded in agreement, “You’re right. It’s almost time for lunch.” They stopped to check the marker that stood just before a fork in the path, and they needed to take the trail to the far right.

          “This trail should bring us back to the park’s entrance.” Jeeves led the way as Melinda followed only slightly behind him. This particular trail had an arched bridge that had been constructed over a flowing creek, with red-leafed trees surrounding the area. Here, the sunlight shone straight down on top of the bridge. This whole setting was enough to lull someone to sleep. It was so peaceful that Melinda stopped right in the middle of the bridge to just close her eyes and listen for a moment.

          “Milady? Are you feeling alright?”

She barely heard him, too busy taking in the serenity of it all. But she did hear him, so she opened up her eyes, “Yes, I’m totally fine. I was just taking one last taste of freedom before returning to the confines of the mansion.

          “Now, now, Milady, we have to be back before our absence is discovered.” He held out his hand for her to take, but she paused for a moment. She was staring at him. “Is something wrong?”

This time, Melinda truly didn’t hear him. She was too fixated on what was in front of her, her thoughts muffled his voice.

          There must be something wrong with me. This isn’t the first time I’ve seen him. But seeing him in this spot, in this light, he looks so handsome!

She was completely enthralled by his appearance. The color of his eyes, once she only saw as unique and beautiful, now seemed almost hypnotizing. The sunlight brought out the color of his suit and made it seem like he was glowing. And everything he had said to her rang in her head over and over, making her feel something she’s never felt before.

          “Milady?”

Melinda snapped back to reality, realizing that she’s just been staring at him for an awkwardly long time. She took a deep breath and then took his hand, “I’m alright. I just spaced out for a minute. Let’s go. Demetrius is probably wondering where I wandered off to.”

By the time they arrived back at the mansion, lunch was just being served in the dining room, and Demetrius was right there to greet his mother and tell her all about what he learned in the day’s studies so far. Jeeves would quickly change back into his black suit and tie and meet with the other house servants for lunch, and none of them asked where he’d been all morning, fortunately.

Now with Melinda, she and Demetrius had a wonderful meal together, discussing how fun it will be to study with other kids, and Demetrius smiled happily as he told his mother that his new friend, Cordelia had sent him a letter, and that she was excited to see if they would be in the same class. Melinda was so happy to listen to him go on and on about his day, but she was also feeling a little giddy from earlier. Even when she went back to her room after lunch, she recounted her morning at the park with Jeeves, feeling like a schoolgirl that had just met her newest crush. No matter how hard she tried to focus on other important papers on her desk, the bubbly feelings just kept coming back to the surface.

Melinda Desmond was falling for the Desmond Household butler. There was no denying it, but she had to hide it for now, at least until she could sever the chains that bound her to her husband.

Chapter Text

At the sound of the alarm clock resting on the nightstand, Jeeves shut it off immediately and hopped out of bed. The very first thing he did was hit the shower, and right after that, he got dressed, combed his hair, and went downstairs where he would meet with John in the foyer. They were always the first ones up along with the chef so they could prepare the table for breakfast.

“Good morning, Jeeves. Did you sleep well?” John asked.

         “I slept well enough.” Jeeves replied. “How about you?”

“More or less the same. Come on, let’s set the table so we can eat.”

The servants of the Desmond household had to make sure the main dining table was ready for the family before they could join in the Servants’ Hall to eat their own breakfast, and thankfully it wasn’t some third-class meal; no, the butlers and maids and other staff ate the same food as the Desmonds, because as cold as Donovan Desmond was to some people, he made sure his workers were well-fed so they could perform their duties without collapsing.

Today’s breakfast included a full plate of diced potatoes with herbs, scrambled eggs, bacon on the side, crepes topped with powdered sugar, strawberries and whipped cream, and for beverages they had the options of coffee, tea, water, and orange juice. This was one of the more simple breakfasts, really.

As more and more servants entered the room, the food vanished from the dishes quickly and onto the plates of the house servants. Even as they ate it all, conversations were had. Well, not that Jeeves or John had a whole lot to say other than “good morning”, they did overhear those that sat closer to them.

“I spoke with Lady Melinda this morning,” said one young maid across from Jeeves. “Said she won’t be joining Master Desmond or Young Master Demetrius for breakfast this morning.”

It was only when Melinda was mentioned that he joined the conversation. He lifted his head and asked, “Did she say why?” The young maid took a small sip of her tea and replied, “Yes. She said that she was going to meet with her Lady Patriots Scociety for breakfast, and after that, they would go assist with the setup of the fall festival that’s taking place this weekend. It’s safe to assume she’ll be gone for most of the day, if not the whole day.”

         “Is that so?” said Jeeves, a little disappointment in his voice. Next to him, John shook his head and took a bite of his eggs, “Don’t fret, boy. After the meal, why don’t you help Young Master Demetrius prepare for his first day of school?”

That’s right. Demetrius will be assigned his class today. But since Melinda’s gone for the day, then that just means only Master Desmond is going with him. Demetrius is going to be so disappointed that his mother can’t go.

The servants’ breakfast ended at 7 AM, just in time to greet the Desmonds as they came down from their rooms. It was like any other morning, except this time, Demetrius was carried by his mother downstairs. He was either still tired, or he just wanted to be held by his mother, either way it was still heartwarming to see.

At the kitchen entrance, Jeeves gave a respectful bow and said, “Good morning Master Desmond, and to you as well Milady and Young Master Demetrius.” Melinda gave a cute little giggle and rubbed her son’s back, “I think he stayed up a little late last night.”

         “He must have been too excited to sleep. School begins today, after all.”

“Isn’t that just wonderful?” Melinda looked so happy, her son was going to orientation today. But the realization that she wouldn’t be able to attend wiped away her smile. She sighed and set Demetrius down in his seat, “Demmy, you need to wake up for breakfast.” She probably didn’t need to say that, because as soon as the meal’s sweet aroma came his way, the boy jolted awake.

         “That smells good!” he exclaimed. It did smell good, but unfortunately Melinda couldn’t partake with her son since she had to be elsewhere. She gave Demetrius a kiss on his head and told him that she was going to breakfast with her friends.

“Aww! You’re not going to eat with us?” Demetrius asked. As Jeeves thought, he was understandably upset. But Melinda did try to assure him that she would be back to tuck him in. He asked why she wasn’t coming to orientation and she explained that she had to go help set up for a big event, and that when they were all done, she’d take him to said big event.

This was cute to watch from afar and all, but as Melinda hugged her son and made him laugh, Jeeves got an ominous feeling, and it was most certainly coming from Master Desmond, who sat in his seat at the end of the table, drinking the tea that had already been poured for him, while also watching his wife and son. Jeeves didn’t know what it was about his expression, but it was almost like he was silently plotting something against Melinda. He figured that would happen, but he didn’t know what he’d do. It couldn’t be that he was going to physically harm her, there’s no way he would risk being reported for abuse. Despite his position as the Prime Minister, the SSS did not discriminate. They don’t care who you are, if you make the country look bad in any way, they will punish you.

All the possibilities for what could come next swarmed Jeeves’s mind, and all of them would make the already tenuous relationship between the Desmonds worse.

Once Demetrius had calmed down and was assured his mother would return to see him, she bid farewell to her family and exited the room to meet her ride. As soon as she left, the food was brought out to the table and the remaining Desmonds began their meal.

“Don’t worry, Demetrius,”said Donovan, looking up at the young boy from his food. “I will still be at the orientation to see your class placement.”

         “Thanks, Father.”

And just like that, Demetrius was back to being the same quiet child he met on his first day as a Desmond Household butler. Jeeves found it a little sad that Master Desmond didn’t appreciate his son as much as Melinda did, but based on what he knew about him, that wasn’t going to change anytime soon.

“I’m finished with breakfast now.” said Demetrius.

Donovan also put down his silverware and nodded toward his son, “Good. Go to your room and get ready. John will be up there to assist you soon.” Jeeves watched Demetrius hop down from his chair and head to the foyer, a little puzzled as to why he didn’t just tell Jeeves to go with him, he was already in the room, and he wasn’t busy…

As if to answer his unasked questions, Donovan approached him and lowered his tone to nearly a whisper, and his eyelids dropped hide most of his eyes. This was a rather unusual expression from Master Desmond, and to be honest, Jeeves was a little creeped out by it.

         “Jeeves, I need to speak with you in my office. Come with me.”

The steps he took from the dining room to Master Desmond’s office felt unbelievably heavy, but Jeeves tried to keep himself calm. He wondered if this was going to be about him going to the park with Melinda two days ago, but there was a very slim chance that he heard about it. The only one that really knew about it was John, and he would never sell him out. All the way to the door, Jeeves repeated in his mind reassurances that this was going to be regarding a different matter.

Finally, Jeeves followed his master inside and closed the door behind him. Desmond didn’t immediately get to the point, he first went behind his desk and scribbled something on a single piece of paper. “I will be at the orientation for much of the day, so I need you to do something for me while I’m out.”

Whew! It wasn’t about the outing like he thought. Everything was fine. He just had new orders. “Of course, sir.” Desmond nodded in approval, “Place a call to Prominent Transport and tell them to come to the Desmond Household in one hour.”

         Jeeves’s eyes narrowed, “A moving company, sir?”

“Tell them to gather all of Mrs. Desmond’s belongings and move them to 29101 Willow Road. I’m sure she will be thrilled to have her own residence, and the one I have reserved for her is closer to her parents' home."

"But..." That's all that Jeeves could say. This was without a doubt Donovan's method to separate Melinda from Demetrius. But why do it while Melinda is away? He was angry with Donovan, but he still was under oath to follow orders and he had to stay respectful to his master. So, he sighed and lowered his head, "Do you want me to inform Mrs. Desmond?"

Donovan shook his head, "No. I want this to be a surprise." Then he placed a piece of paper into an envelope and sealed it with his wax seal. He handed it to Jeeves and smiled. It was far from a polite smile, however. There was malice in it, as if he had won a game of some kind. "Once the move is complete, give this to her. It will help her understand the reasoning behind the sudden gift."

         "Yes, sir."

Jeeves placed the envelope into his jacket’s inner pocket. “Is that all, Master Desmond?” Donovan replied, “Yes. You’re dismissed.” And with that, Jeeves exited the room and carefully closed the door, while trying not to slam it.

Not long after Jeeves left the office, Donovan and Demetrius headed off to Eden College for the orientation, and he watched them walk out the door. Now that they were gone, he needed to do as he was told and call for the movers, and even as he dialed the number, his heart filled with dread.

The company answered the phone…

         “Hello, Prime Minister Desmond requests a moving van at his residence within an hour…” He paused to listen. “No. He wants only Mrs. Desmond’s things moved to a new address.” Jeeves told them the address where they would take Melinda’s things and ended the call after the costs and billing were discussed. He just wanted to get this over with. The whole situation was enough to make him sick. His head ached, his blood boiled, and his fists were clenched tightly enough for his fingernails to leave marks in his palm.

Jeeves shook his head in anger, and he stood in front of the phone for several silent moments, pondering what he should do next. Several ideas came to mind, but he shot them down because they all were nothing but impossible scenarios.

He didn’t notice right away, but a maid had entered the room, but left as soon as she saw him and his expression. He only realized it when he heard her faint whispers coming from the other room. She told someone that she saw him looking upset. That someone she told was John, and he decided to approach him about it. He looked from Jeeves to the phone, wondering what might have happened. Wondering would get him nowhere, so he came right out and asked him.

“What happened, Jeeves?”

Jeeves inhaled deeply and answered, “Master Desmond is sending Mrs. Desmond’s things to a new address. Put simply, she’s being kicked out of the mansion.” The news surprised John. He replied, “How soon?”

“The movers will arrive within an hour…Her things will be moved into her new house by the end of the day.”

         “Mrs. Desmond will be home before they’re done.”

 “I know. That’s why I’m going to go help with the festival preparations, see if I can keep her away long enough.”

Jeeves turned to face John and he lowered his voice to a whisper, “When I leave, don’t tell anyone where I’m going. Even when Master Demetrius gets home, don’t say anything about where I am.” It was a tall order, considering Jeeves was once again leaving the property while on duty. But John knew that he just wanted to help, and this way, he could at least be there for Melinda once she’s made aware of the situation.

         So, John agreed. “I’ll keep you covered, and I’ll let you know when all of Mrs. Desmond’s things are moved out.” Then he gave him a pat on the back and smiled, “They should be finished with their breakfast now, so you should head out, but you’ll need to go on foot. Can’t risk taking one of the cars because Master Desmond will know something’s up.”

“Alright.” Jeeves replied, “I’ll be back by curfew.”

Since he had to go on foot, it would take a little over an hour to get to the festival site. Maybe if he took a taxi he could get there faster, and he was at less of a risk of being seen by anyone that might recognize him. So, once he got to the city streets, he hailed a cab and took it to Calvary Fairgrounds, that was where big events were normally held.

Preparations were already underway when Melinda’s group arrived, and thankfully there was more to do than just the construction of the stalls and rides. The one in charge gave Melinda and the ladies the job of organizing the many boxes of prizes, disposable cups, plates and eating utensils, and laying the tablecloths on the many picnic benches. There was much more that needed to be done before the festival in 3 days, but that’s all they were given to do for that day. The ladies didn’t mind since that meant that the men would be doing all the heavy lifting.

They all were on their 4^th  prize box (1 box for each lady), and all of them were talking to each other about how this year’s festival will be so much fun. They even considered taking their families to partake in the festivities.

         “Oh, I’m so excited for the festival!” squealed Mrs. Blackbell. “I just hope I can get Byron to take some time away from work to come with me.”

Fallon placed a stuffed bear in her prize box and replied, “He needs the break. All that work must be overstimulating, so it should be a nice change of pace for him. Somehow I doubt that my husband will be interested in the event. Good thing I have a young niece that will join me.” Next to her, Irene giggled and replied, “Yeah, and I’ll just be joining my sister and her family.”

Then they all looked at Melinda, expecting her to tell who she’ll be going to the festival with. She gave a shrug and continued to organize the prizes. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to manage it, but I want to bring my sweet Demetrius to the festival.”

         “Will Donovan be happy about that?” asked Mrs. Blackbell.

         “He didn’t say anything when he heard me tell Demetrius about it.”

Looking back on it, maybe he stayed silent because he knew that whatever he said wouldn’t stop her from bringing him anyway. Or maybe he had something planned for the day of the festival that would keep Demetrius from being able to go. She didn’t know anything for sure, so she was just mentally preparing herself for whatever scenario might occur.

“Good afternoon, Milady.”

Jeeves’s sudden greeting made her jump. He was standing right beside them with his hands at his sides, still wearing his black suit. So, he must be here on her husband’s order.

         “Jeeves!” she said, surprised. “What are you doing here? Are you by yourself?” Jeeves nodded, “Yes. I came to see if I can be of any assistance here.” Melinda looked around the fairgrounds, and of course he could help with setting things up… “But what about your household duties?”

“John offered to take care of all my duties.”

         “Well…then…you’ll have to speak with the head organizer. He’ll be able to set you up with a job.” She pointed to a tall man with big square glasses and a clipboard standing near a white tent being lifted up by 6 other men. Melinda followed him with her eyes when he approached the head organizer, and soon Jeeves was given the task of helping the group setting up the pony rides.

The festival preparations went smoothly with the many volunteers helping out wherever they could, and the Lady Patriots Society finished up their prize box organizing within the hour. Laying down the tablecloths was much easier and went quicker with the ladies working on two tables at a time. Or, it would have gone quicker if Melinda wasn’t always stealing glances over to wherever she could see Jeeves working. It was nothing that Mrs. Blackbell didn’t notice right away, and her smirk gave the impression that she understood why Melinda couldn’t look away.

“Well, Melinda, I never took you for the scandalous type.” she said with a giggle.

Melinda’s eyes widened and she quickly turned her head away from Jeeves and her cheeks flashed red, “W-What!? No, no, no! This isn’t what you think! I’m…I’m just…admiring how well he works with others, that’s all.” She tried to cover up her emotions, but it obviously wasn’t working. Mrs. Blackbell could tell how she felt just by looking at her.

         “It’s a shame, really. You two would make an adorable pair if you weren’t already married.” She sighed dreamily, “Oh, but the age old tale of forbidden lovers always makes my heart flutter.”

Forbidden lovers? Was that really her situation? She knew that Jeeves cared for her, but was it love or was he caring because he pitied her? Even if he did love her, they couldn’t be together. Marriage was something that other people must see as beautiful, and she wished that she could experience the kind of marriage that normal people experienced, to be with the one they love forever. She took one more glance toward Jeeves before she went back to setting up the tables with her group.

The day’s preparations were halfway to completion, and the clock on the tower struck 5. Jeeves was taking a water break with a group he was helping when he heard a small whistle to his left. John was standing behind a ring toss stall and was waving him over. Thankfully no one else seemed to notice him, so Jeeves slipped away and went to speak with John.

         “Mrs. Desmond’s things are all cleared out of the mansion and are en route to the new address. The movers have been given the orders to do all the unpacking as well, so it will be at least 2 more hours until everything is moved in. So, you need to keep her busy until the evening.”

Being reminded of the move, or eviction, rather, brought back that awful feeling in his gut. It was still an awfully cruel move on Desmond’s part, but he was in no position to protest it. “Alright. Does Master Desmond know you’re here?”

         “Yes. I told him I was going to assist the movers in unpacking everything.”

“Then go do that. Don’t give him a reason to think you lied about where you are.”

Then John went on his way and Jeeves got back to work, all the while trying to convince himself he was in the right for not telling Melinda against Master Desmond’s wishes.

         It doesn’t matter if I’m right or wrong. Fact of the matter is that I am an accomplice in this scheme. I’ll have to give her Master Desmond’s letter that will explain everything…but I fear her reaction to it.

Jeeves met back up with the Lady Patriots Society a half an hour later in the midst of the fairgrounds. A good portion of the festival was set up, but more games stalls needed to be set up, the food trucks needed to be called in, trash receptacles had to be placed everywhere, and a couple more rides had to be set up as well.

         “Good job, everyone!” Melinda exclaimed. “The day’s preparations are almost complete. However, I spoke to the head organizer earlier and he told me that he already has a group working on the construction of the last ride, so we can head home now. He also asked if we’d like to help with food preparations, I told him that we will, so be thinking of all the delicious snacks and dishes to make. We’ll meet up at the Silvercrest Villa House the morning of to cook and bake fresh dishes there."

The ladies all agreed to that and said their goodbyes for the day. Jeeves and Melinda were left alone, but Jeeves looked at his watch and saw that there was still a whole hour left until the move was complete, so he couldn’t allow Melinda to go back to the mansion. They walked together to the car that Melinda was driven here in, the chauffeur was waiting in the driver seat, and before they got in, she turned to him and smiled. “Would you like to ride with me back to the house?”

Jeeves nodded and he opened the door for her. He asked, “Would it be alright if we stopped at the store on our way back? There are some groceries I’ve been asked to pick up.” Melinda agreed. It didn’t look like she suspected anything, and that was good. But she will when she sees that they aren’t going to the mansion.

Normally, Jeeves could have finished the shopping trip within 5 minutes, but just to give the movers a little more time, he took his own. He didn’t take an incredibly long time, he managed to be out of the shop in 15 minutes. He pretty much just bought the necessities, stuff that they already had. But he needed to be sure that the movers wouldn’t still be there when they arrived.

The car was too quiet on the ride back from the store, there was awkward tension between them and Melinda didn’t like that. So, she turned away from the window and flashed a smile at him. “Thank you for your help with the preparations, Jeeves. That was very kind of you.”

         “You’re welcome, Milady.” Jeeves replied.

         “Also…if it’s not too much trouble, could you go help some more tomorrow? There’s much more to be done before the weekend.”

“Perhaps after I finish my household duties.” Jeeves chuckled, but when Melinda looked away, his smile changed to a frown.

I can’t do this. She’s going to notice we’re driving away from the mansion. How can I possibly tell her that she’s been evicted from her home?

Unfortunately, Melinda realized early on that they weren’t going to the mansion. However, she didn’t realize that they were heading toward her new house, but she decided to hold her tongue until they reached their destination.

When the car finally stopped, it was 8 ‘o clock. Jeeves was the first to step out and he opened the opposite door for Melinda, who was confused as to why they were there. She walked inside with Jeeves following behind her, and she was surprised at what she saw.

       She asked, “Jeeves, what’s going on? How are all of my things here?” Jeeves’s expression fell once again and he reached into his jacket and he pulled out the envelope that Donovan gave him and he handed it to Melinda. She stared at the familiar wax seal. This was his doing. When she opened it, the words on the letter filled her with an indescribable rage.

To my wife

I’m sure that by the time you read this, you’ll have discovered that I’ve sent your things to a different address. This place is now your own home, decorated with rustic elegance, as that is your preferred theme. The only thing I will not allow you to have is Demetrius. He will no longer be affected by your influence. And don’t fool yourself into believing this means you are free from me, you are still my wife, and I will take steps to ensure that you don’t go near Demetrius again. On the bright side, I’m sure you’re relieved to no longer be living under my roof.

Yours Truly, Donovan Desmond.

Melinda’s hands gripped the letter tightly. She wanted to rip this disgrace of a letter to shreds! But Jeeves lunged forward and stopped her from doing so. “Milady, stop! You should hold onto this.”

“Why!? Why on earth should I keep anything from that man!?” She screamed.

“Because what if Demetrius wants to know why you don’t live there anymore? You’ll have proof that Master Desmond gave the order to evict you from the mansion. You can’t just tell him that it was your husband, because Demetrius will likely be fed lies about you.”

Despite her frustration, Melinda folded the letter back up and set it on the mantle above the fireplace. “This isn’t going to stop me. But knowing him, he’ll send spies to keep an eye on me, so if you’re willing, I’ll need your help.”

         “You don’t have to worry, Milady. I’ll remain at the mansion as a butler. From there, I can look after Demetrius in your stead.”

While Jeeves looking after her son brought her some comfort, the impact this sudden change was going to have on her life from now on hit her like a train. Just like before, when she had her first real fight with her husband, the many thoughts and emotions were making her dizzy. She fell onto the couch and held her head. Jeeves knew she would react this way, and he thought he’d been prepared to handle it, but no, seeing her like this still made him feel horrible. “If…it will make it any easier, I will come visit during my breaks to update you on your son’s well-being.” Melinda raised her head from her hands, still feeling a little dizzy, but she was beginning to calm down.

         “That would be great. Thank you, Jeeves.”

It didn’t solve the problem, but it would be less painful if she got to see Jeeves for a while.

Chapter Text

Living alone was something that Melinda had mixed feelings about. On one hand, she was glad that she didn’t have to sleep next to Donovan anymore, but on the other, coming downstairs and finding no one else in the home felt so bizarre. For the last 6 years, she had always been greeted by a maid or another member of the household staff. Now all she heard in the morning were the birds chirping outside and her own footsteps.

As Melinda gazed upon her quiet living room, she imagined only for a moment her dear son scampering around, eagerly awaiting his mother to join him for breakfast. She’d only spent 2 nights here, but it didn’t quite feel like home to her yet, and it probably wouldn’t ever feel like home. That dream of spending every day with her son would no longer become a reality, and that hurt more than words could convey. But what’s done is done and she just had to get used to it.

During her breakfast, she pulled out her schedule book to go over what she needed to do. “Let’s see…I have at least 2 hours to get ready before I meet the ladies for baking. We’ll have 6 hours to prepare our dishes, and once we get to the fairgrounds, we’ll drop them off at the concession table and then we can enjoy the festival.”

          Enjoy the festival? After you drop off your meal, the ladies will all go off to join their families, you’ll be on your own.

 “What a ridiculous thought.” Melinda whispered in response. She wouldn’t be alone, there was the strong likelihood that Mrs. Blackbell would offer for her to tag along with her and her husband, and that was enough to make her feel better. She sighed in relief, “That’s better. Now, I should start getting ready to go.”

          On the second floor of Melinda’s manor, there was only one bedroom with an beautiful, en suite white bathroom with an acrylic clawfoot bathtub complete with a silver showerhead. Her bedroom was simple yet elegant; the walls painted alabaster white, a beautiful walk-in closet (her clothes already filling it), and her bed was queen-sized and made neatly with white sheets and a brown comforter, the soft mattress set upon an oak wood bedframe. The floor was completely covered with a soft wool carpet, and everything else Melinda owned was placed in such a way so that she wouldn’t have a single thing to complain about. Even though he didn’t love her, he knew all of her tastes in design, and probably her tastes in everything else. Just goes to show how close he’d been observing her.

          That man...That conniving little…

Melinda shook her head, “Stop. By constantly thinking about it, I’m giving him power to hold me down. I won’t let what happened ruin my day. Besides, Jeeves is looking after Demetrius behind the scenes for me. I have faith that he’ll keep him safe and sound.” So, pulling herself together, she strode confidently into her closet. “I can’t believe I let myself worry.”

For the next 2 hours, Melinda was able to pull together 2 suitable outfits for the day, one for her Society meeting and one for the festival. She also took a hot shower, brushed her hair, and packed her makeup and festival outfit into her own personal suitcase. And once it was time to go, she called and requested one of the Desmond family’s chauffeurs and as soon as it got there, she was off to the Silvercrest House.

When Melinda requested to use the Silvercrest Villa House to prepare the food, the House staff made sure to prepare all the cookware: tins, pans, pots, spoons, knives, and the like. They also slapped some temporary labels on all the cupboard doors so the ladies would know where each appliance was. The only request the House staff had for the Lady Patriots Society was that they clean up after themselves.

Melinda had been the first to arrive at the House fifteen minutes before eight, so as she waited for the others, she decided to get started with her cooking. She would be making quiche for the festival, and if she had time, she would throw in a batch or two of chocolate chip cookies. So Melinda gathered the ingredients from the pantry to make the baked pie crust: flour, salt, shortening, and the teaspoon she would need for the cold water. Then she went to get the other appliances she would need: stirring bowl, rolling pin, measuring cups, and the quiche dish.

The rest of the ladies arrived at the House at 8 AM sharp, and when they saw that Melinda was already getting started, they weren’t entirely surprised. They all smiled at her and Fallon whispered, “Guess she didn’t feel like waiting for us.”  Irene laughed and added, “That’s Melinda for ya.” Mrs. Blackbell walked into the kitchen and greeted her friend cheerfully, “Good morning, Melinda! How’s the baking so far?”

          “Oh, I just started. I’m going to prepare a quiche dish, and maybe some cookies if I have time.” Melinda began kneading the dough and she told them that they could set their things in the master bedroom upstairs. “After we’re done baking and cooking here, we’ll use the room upstairs to pamper ourselves before heading to the festival. Once your clothes are laid out, come back here and get started on your dishes.”

In only under a half hour, the House picked up the delicious baking and cooking aromas from the kitchen. The women of the Lady Patriots Society were able to make a variety of meals and desserts at once, from the quiche that Melinda made to Mrs. Blackbell’s delightful Apfelkuchen. And since they had time, each of the ladies lended their hand in making many cookies, from chocolate chip to peanut butter, to shortbread, to gingersnap, to oatmeal raisin for those who enjoy them.

Just in time, all the dishes were prepared and ready to be transported to the festival, and there was now only an hour left to get ready. They all had their own outfits prepared before they arrived at the house, so it would take them very little time to pamper themselves up. The outfit Melinda had prepared was picked specifically because it didn’t scream “Hi! I’m the First Lady!”. It consisted of a brown plaid dress with long cuff sleeves, black boots, and her usual red head scarf and sunglasses. To go along with this outfit, she chose to wear pearl earrings and the Pink Agate bracelet she treasured so much. Even as she brushed her hair back, she kept her eyes on it.

The stone sent her mind back to the very moment she received it. When Demetrius had given it to her to help alleviate her anxiety. But right now, it only reminded her how far apart from her son she was. Words couldn’t even begin to describe how much she missed him already.

          “Are you alright, Melinda?” Mrs. Blackbell stooped down to see her face, but Melinda didn’t want her to see her like this, she’d start asking questions that she didn’t want to answer. Try as she might, her glassy eyes gave her emotions away and Mrs. Blackbell was not fooled by her mask. The brunette took her friend by the hand and led her up and into the bathroom, closing the door behind her.

"Now nobody's around." Said Mrs. Blackbell. Through the mirror, she eyed Melinda carefully, "What’s got you feeling blue?”

In all honesty, Melinda didn't want to share her problems with her friend, but only because it might worry her. But she’d just worry more if she told her nothing. What if she told only a part of what was vexing her? Surely it wouldn’t hurt anything to at least let her know that she’s living elsewhere.

"I'm alright. My husband just bought me a new manor, so I guess the move was just a bit jarring, you know?"

"Your husband bought you...your own manor?" Mrs. Blackbell seemed almost flabbergasted, and that was understandable. What husband would buy his wife a whole new house just for her? It was strange, but for now, she should just play it off as no big deal.

"Right. And here I thought he didn't love me." She laughed, but it's obvious to anyone paying attention that she was just trying to cover up her true feelings. Mrs. Blackbell didn't know why her friend was acting the way she was, but as her friend, she was going to offer her support in any way she could.

"Well, if you ever need someone to talk to, you can always come to me.” Then she smirked and subtly added, “As long as Jeeves isn’t within the vicinity.” Melinda’s jaw dropped and in retaliation, she grabbed Mrs. Blackbell’s hair and tied it up into a messy bun at the very top of her head, and Mrs. Blackbell took Melinda’s headscarf and brought it down over her face so that the bow looked like a mustache. It felt nice to have a good laugh and momentarily forget the stress she’d been feeling for the last few hours.

Once the ladies arrived at the festival, the first thing they did was set their dishes on the counter of a stall that was set up next to the picnic tables. Their society name wasn't explicitly said, but the ones working the stall would say to the patrons, "A very considerate ladies group was generous enough to prepare these more elegant meals for us. Better hurry and get some, they're here for limited time only!"

The Lady Patriots Society was proud of their work. The results were outstanding! Thousands of people were lining up to get into the festival, some already on the grounds and having the time of their lives.

Now that their work was done, they were all finally able to go join their families and have fun. Falon said goodbye and headed off, Irene went to join her sister, and that just left Mrs. Blackbell.

She didn't see Donovan or Demetrius anywhere, and it felt wrong to just leave Melinda on her own.

"Do you want to join me and my husband for the festival? Even if it's only for a short while?"

Melinda wanted to decline at first, but it really would just be sad if she just went through the festival alone. Neither her family nor Jeeves were here, so what benefit would there be to fly solo? "Okay. Let's go. You and Byron can pick our first stop."

          “Fantastic!” Mrs. Blackbell exclaimed. She turned to her husband and asked, “Why don’t we all go play a game of cornhole first?” Byron smiled brightly and replied, “Of course, dear.” And so they walked through the fairgrounds to the cornhole area, where men and women and their children awaited their turn in line as they watched two enthusiastic fathers play against each other. It was such a simple game, and yet it was fun to watch. Seeing normal citizens enjoying these kinds of activities warmed Melinda’s heart, and once again she found herself hoping and praying that Demetrius could experience this life one day.

The cornhole game was timed, and so two throwers would approach the line in the grass and they would have 30 seconds to toss 15 bean bags into the holes, and whoever had the most successful tosses at the end would win a prize. Melinda stood behind Mrs. Blackbell and her husband so that they would have a chance to play together first, and she would play against whoever was behind her.

          Rrrrriiiiiing!!!

“That’s time!” called that game’s operator. The operator stood up and went to count the bean bags, and after he was done, he grabbed a prize from a crate next to him and said, “With 13 successful tosses, you sir, are the winner! Enjoy your prize!” The prize he gave to the man in front of hole number 1 was a basketball. The man happily took it and thanked the operator before walking away. “Next up!” A few more pairs played before the Blackbells were up at the front, and as they were being given their bean bags, Melinda watched them, slightly entertained by Mrs. Blackbell’s playful taunts and her husband’s comebacks. When they actually started playing, everyone nearby was taken aback at how…how competitive they were, even Melinda was surprised.

          Such strength! I shouldn’t be surprised, though. Blackbell Heavy Industries is a military contracting company, after all. They’re bound to have at least some kind of strength training at home.

Rrrrriiiiiing!!!

          “And that’s…uh…that’s time. Oh boy…” The game’s operator stood stunned at the sight of the cornhole boards. They weren’t completely broken, but the holes did have some cracks around them. Mr. And Mrs. Blackbell had gotten so caught up in the game that the bean bags hit the boards first before going through into the hole. Now the boards were a game or two away from collapsing. On the bright side, they both got 15 successful tosses. It was a tie, but the operator didn’t want to upset either of the Blackbells, so he just gave them both a prize. “Enjoy your prizes…” he said nervously.

Mrs. Blackbell had gotten a stuffed bunny as a prize, and she squeezed it happily. “Oh, I love bunnies!” Then she looked at Melinda and pointed across the yard, “We’re going to go get some hot cider over there, meet us when you’re finished.” Melinda nodded in agreement, and she stepped up to the line with her opponent. The timer had to be extended to 45 seconds so that they could throw the bags more carefully, but even though the game went by a little slower than before, it was still a fun little distraction from everything else that was on her mind, and after the game ended, she returned to where Mrs. Blackbell and Byron stood. They’d been chatting it up with each other while they waited for Melinda, but as soon as she came up to them, she was included in the conversation.

          “I see you two have calmed down a little.” Melinda said with a smile. The husband and wife, who just a few minutes ago nearly destroyed a fair game, now drank hot cider happily and cuddled lovingly. Mrs. Blackbell giggled and leaned her head back against her husband’s chest, “Oh, it was just a little bit of competition between us, not a battle to the death.”

          “Not that you would win if it was.” Byron muttered. He gave her a huge bear hug from behind and laughed, “But I would never harm a hair on your head anyways! I love you too much!”

This is what Melinda loved about their dynamic. They were so playful with each other, always cracking jokes. Even when they came to a disagreement, they would spout empty threats to use tanks on each other, challenge each other to a duel, but they would always just crash on the couch and laugh about it later. They married because they loved each other, not because their parents arranged it. And in the future, they might even bring a child into their lives that was just as dramatic as they were.

          What if my parents hadn’t arranged for me to marry Donovan? Would I find a love like this? But if I didn’t marry him, if I had just refused, then Demetrius wouldn’t have been born. Now that he’s here, just having been able to show him parental love, having held him in my arms, it almost makes all the suffering I’ve endured feel worth it.

Finishing the thought, she once again looked at her bracelet and smiled.

          “…sounds delicious!”’

Mrs. Blackbell’s voice brought her attention back to the world. She took Melinda’s hand and said, “We should go sample our homemade dishes before they’re all gone. I want to taste the quiche you made!”

“Step right up ladies and gentlemen! Only 2 homemade dishes are left!”

          “Oh! Just in time!” Mrs. Blackbell exclaimed joyfully. Nobody else was in line, so they were able to “step right up”. So, Mrs. Blackbell pointed to the quiche, which only had 4 slices left and the concession attendant cut one out for her and her husband because he wanted the same thing. Melinda noticed something about the concession attendant, though. He wasn’t the same one she saw when she first arrived, and it hadn’t been long enough for them to switch shifts. Not to mention, this attendant had his newsboy hat suspiciously hiding his face. He smiled at her, “Well, Miss? Have you made a decision?”

          “Yes. I’ll try the Apfelkuchen, please. And just to satisfy my own curiosity…do you often blow off work?”

The man replied, “I almost never blow off work, Milady.” It was Jeeves under the hat, Melinda recognized him immediately. He leaned forward a little and whispered, “I’m working 2 jobs at the moment, actually.” Melinda raised an eyebrow, so Jeeves answered by pointing to an apple bobbing game just 10 feet across from them. She blinked to make sure her eyes didn’t deceive her, but they weren’t. Standing in front of the bucket filled with water and apples was Demetrius! And standing right next to him was his friend, Cordelia and her parents. He was able to attend the festival? She turned back to Jeeves, confused as to how this was possible. But before she could say anything, Jeeves answered for her.

          “The Roth girl called the estate earlier, requesting that Young Master Demetrius comes to her house to help her study, and Master Desmond allowed it under the condition that they only studied and nothing more…Cordelia asked her parents if they could take her and Young Master Demetrius to the festival if they finished studying early. So, here they are, and here I am keeping an extra eye on them on Master Desmond’s orders.”

“But they’re not studying. Won’t he be-”

“They did study. They reviewed everything afterwards, and they remembered everything they studied. Even if Master Desmond found out, you wouldn’t be at fault, and neither would I, and Roth, being one of the most influential lawyers in the country, could easily settle the dispute."

It still made her a little nervous knowing that Demetrius was going against Donovan, but if Mr. Roth was willing to help should any problems arise, then she shouldn’t have much to worry about. She wondered if he’d be willing to help her with-

          “I wouldn’t get ahead of myself, Milady.” Jeeves told her. “If the matters between you and your husband reach the public, that would bring too much unwanted attention, and that will also give the SSS a reason to investigate you. They won’t tolerate anything that makes the country look bad, and a rocky marriage between the Prime Minister and the First Lady would be enough to make them take action, putting you and your son in danger.”

“Right.” She sighed. What was she thinking? Just moments earlier she’d told herself that having been able to be a loving mother to Demetrius was worth the suffering. Even if she had to wait until Demetrius graduated to be his mother once more, she would wait patiently for him. She’s heard it said, “All good things come to those who wait.”

Jeeves handed her the plate with her cake and he whispered, “Everything will be alright, Milady. You’ll see.”

          “Jeeves…”

A deep voice from beside him caused Jeeves to freeze, then he turned to see the previous concession attendant looking at him with an unimpressed expression, “If you want to flirt with the ladies, do it at the pavilion and not while you work the table.” Red covered Jeeves’s cheeks and he put his hands up in defense, “I wasn’t flirting with her.” The concession attendion gave an exaggerated nod, obviously skeptical. “Sure you weren’t. Come on, outta the way and let me take over, we still got some pieces left to hand out. Get going before the chance passes by.” And just like that, Jeeves lost his job as the concession attendant, and when he turned around, Melinda was giggling quietly, and Mrs. Blackbell was looking at him like she was a child about to cause mischief.

Why is she looking at me like that?

It wasn’t obvious to him, but Mrs. Blackbell had just hatched the perfect plan to get Jeeves and Melinda together for the rest of the evening. She became excited by the thought and she said to him, “Jeeves, now that you’re not working the concession stand, why don’t you tag along with me, my husband, and Melinda? It will be so much more fun!” Jeeves hesitated, looking from Melinda to the area where Demetrius still stood with the Roths and then back to Mrs. Blackbell. “But I still have my orders to-”

          Suddenly, he felt Melinda grab his arm and she whispered, “Just agree, or she’ll never let you hear the end of it. We’ll check on Demetrius in a little bit, for now he’s safe with the Roths.”

There wasn’t really a way out of this, because although Jeeves felt compelled to follow his master’s orders and keep an eye on the young master, Demetrius wasn’t getting into trouble or was at risk of being harmed. Not only that, but Jeeves also wanted to spend more time with Melinda, and this was a good opportunity.

          “I can spare a half hour.” He sighed.

          “Great!” Mrs. Blackbell exclaimed. She took her husband’s arm and they led the way to their next destination. Melinda laughed at her giddiness while Jeeves was just impressed by how much of a child she could be at times. Perhaps it was just because they were at a festival, and she might not have time to attend these events often, because it’s not like Berlint never had any other fairs or festivals during the year, the Fall Festival was just more enticing to the citizens because of the games and performances that only happened at this particular location for 3 days of the whole season.

As Melinda and Jeeves followed behind the Blackbells, they passed by many booths, and a lot of them had long lines. It seemed that the items were so popular that they were selling out fast, and that got Melinda wondering if there were any limited time items that she wasn’t aware of. Maybe she could get something for Jeeves since he’s been so helpful to her lately. She asked him, “Is there anything you’d like to take home?” Jeeves shrugged and replied, “Nothing particularly comes to mind.”

          “But if you had to choose?”

If he had to choose? There really wasn’t anything he was interested in. Now, he couldn’t speak for other butlers, but he didn’t concern himself with materialistic keepsakes, because he didn’t really have anywhere to keep anything, he didn’t have a chest to store them. All the objects he’d collected in the past were all destroyed alongside his childhood home, so it always seemed pointless to keep any valuable objects. They never lasted in his experience. It was a little sad, but cherishing something he couldn’t keep sounded foolish to him.

          “Nothing.” He told her, calm and content. “Really, Milady, all I want is for you and Young Master Demetrius to enjoy your time here.”

Melinda gave a curious glance, but chose not to push the subject further, since his answer did seem genuine. “Very well, then.”

          “Hurry up, slowpokes!”

Mrs. Blackbell’s impatient call brought their attention up ahead. She and Byron were already at a jewelry booth waiting for them, she hadn’t even bought anything yet. So, to not keep her waiting any longer, Melinda and Jeeves picked up the pace and caught up to the Blackbells. Melinda smiled and said, “Sorry, we didn’t realize how far we’d fallen behind.” Mrs. Blackbell raised her eyebrows and gave a small nod, “Byron and I got here 2 minutes ago, that’s how slow you two were.”

          Really? Only two minutes? They thought in unison. She was certainly impatient, but Melinda and Jeeves only shrugged at her behavior and moved on. Mrs. Blackbell then smiled and turned to the lady running the booth, “Do you happen to have any beautiful gem necklaces?” The lady replied, “Certainly. For you and your friend, I’ve just the thing!” She reached over to an open chest display and pulled out a silver chain necklace and a similar gold chain necklace, a polished ruby gem for the silver, and a polished emerald for the gold.

          “Now, these are quite pricy, Miss. But these exquisite pieces were crafted carefully by our best jewelers, and they deserve only the most beautiful owners.”

          “How much?” asked Mrs. Blackbell.

The lady answered, “On any other day, they would cost 500 Dalc, but they’re on sale today for only 300 Dalc.” Then without hesitation, Mrs. Blackbell handed the lady a wad of cash (likely over 350) and took the necklaces. “Thank you for your patronage!” The lady called.

After going off to the side, Mrs. Blackbell handed the silver necklace to her husband and she handed the gold necklace to Jeeves. “You bought only the necklaces?” Melinda asked. Mrs. Blackbell, with a smirk, looked at both men with a pleading expression and said, “Boys, we just had our nails done. Would you both be a gentleman and help us put them on?” Byron took the necklace and said with a slight blush, “Of course, dear!” He happily hooked the necklace around his wife’s neck and kissed her on the cheek. Jeeves, on the other hand, spoke with a more professional tone, “Could you please hold up your hair, Milady?” Melinda took her hair and moved it out of the way. Even though it was short and only went to the middle of her neck, she needed to move it out of the way so none of the strands got caught in the hook.

Jeeves managed to get both ends around her neck, but he was slow to hook them together. The reason? The way she was holding her hair was distracting him, she just looked so alluring like this, the skin on the back of her neck as like that of a porcelain doll. But he was taking too long, so he pushed away his thoughts and secured the necklace. “There you go.” Jeeves stepped back and Melinda let go of her hair, “Thank you, Jeeves.”

Watching from the side, Mrs. Blackbell leaned her head back in annoyance. Her plan kind of worked. Melinda sounded calm and collected, but her flushed face gave away her feelings, and Jeeves looked rather transfixed as well. That act created some intimacy between them, but it wasn’t enough. Perhaps she should ditch the shopping idea and come up with something else. But what?

          “Come on, we should be there when it starts!”

Two teenagers suddenly passed by them in a hurry, they looked excited. One of them, a young lady, was practically jumping for joy as they ran, “I’ve been waiting to see them all season!” And the boy holding her hand laughed, “I know Midnight Rose is your favorite band, you should see them live!”

YES! Mrs. Blackbell thought. This couldn’t be more perfect! She quickly took Melinda’s hand and bounced up and down like a giddy child, “Melinda, let’s head to the pavilion! We absolutely have to see Midnight Rose perform!”

          “I didn’t know you liked their music.” Melinda replied.

          “Most of Ostania loves their music! They play so beautifully; it only makes sense that I’m a fan of them! Come on, come on, come on!” She didn’t even wait for Melinda’s response, she made a beeline in the direction of the pavilion at the north end of the festival, pulling a screaming Melinda along with her. Byron and Jeeves gave chase, but Mrs. Blackbell and Melinda were already way ahead of them, approaching the lit-up pavilion in a flash. By the time they stood at the edge of it, many festivalgoers were on the dance floor, having fun as the current band played their swing jazz that could be heard over the big loudspeakers standing on either side of the stage, facing outward so that the music could reach the rest of the fairgrounds.

Just listening to the music got them excited to go dancing themselves! But just when they were about to step onto the floor, Mrs. Blackbell’s hand was taken by her husband who’d finally caught up to her and flashed her a giant smile, “I’d rather you not dance alone.” Mrs. Blackbell laughed out loud and replied, “I’m sorry, love, I got too excited!” Then she swung her arms around his neck and the both of them spun into a dance.

Melinda laughed along as she watched them twirl and step to the rhythm. It all looked so fun, and she wanted to join, so she stepped onto the pavilion’s floor and began to dance. Since she was dancing solo, she was swinging her arms and kicking her feet to the music. Fortunately, she studied swing dancing so there would be more confidence in her moves and she wouldn’t appear like a fool should the time arise that she’d be able to dance on her own without her husband seeing her. As she swung her arms and legs in enthusiasm, she spotted Jeeves standing just outside of the pavilion, watching her with a proud smile.

Although the music was inviting, Jeeves didn’t feel like he was at liberty to join in the dance, given he was still here on duty. He really shouldn’t allow himself to break character around a member of the family he vowed to serve as a butler. Besides, it wasn’t so bad to just stand and watch since Melinda was having a good time already. He waved to her to let her know that he could see her dance and that she was doing great. Although, when Melinda looked back at him, she looked a little upset, and suddenly, her dancing slowed down until she came to a complete halt. And from a distance, Mrs. Blackbell noticed this. She wondered how much longer it would be until Midnight Rose took the stage, but when she looked toward the front of the pavilion, she noticed some figures standing behind the stage, and it seemed like they were preparing instruments. So, if she had to guess, they were going to be next on stage after this song ended. And when that happens, Melinda and Jeeves will have to dance together!

          “Why did you stop, Milady?”

Melinda left the pavilion’s floor and decided to stand beside Jeeves for the duration of the song. It felt wrong to have fun on the dance floor without him, when he just stood there watching her instead of joining her. She was sure that if he was able to break out of his butler character, he would have jumped in and danced as well, and he probably wanted to. Well…if he wasn’t going to dance, then she wasn’t going to either.

The jazz band up front finished their song proudly, and everyone in the pavilion affirmed their talent with a round of applause. They’d been playing since the start of the festival, it was time they took a break, and they told the audience as much and then exited the stage with their instruments. Next up was Midnight Rose, everyone there knew it and they became so excited that they cheered before the performance even began. The members of Midnight Rose were 3 young men and 2 equally young women, and their outfits were beautiful, but also simple. For instance, the women were dressed in red cashmere sweaters that had flared sleeves, long skirts that were slit up to their thigh, and knee-high black boots. The men in the band wore black suits with red undershirts and deep red ties, on their head they wore black fedoras, and on all of the members’ ears were rose-shaped earrings. As soon as they were ready, the lead singer spoke into the microphone.

          “Good evening, Berlint!” He greeted with a smile, “I’d just like to say that we are honored to be able to perform this night at the annual Berlint Fall Festival. We’ve been looking forward to this ever since summer ended, and to celebrate this joyous occasion, we’ll be singing a national favorite.”

The crowd went wild after hearing that announcement, but at the front of the pavilion, Melinda’s fists clenched in anticipation. She already knew what the “national favorite” was, and she wasn’t sure if she’d be able to resist the urge to go up and dance again. This song that was about to be played was loved all over the country except within certain branches of the government, Ostania’s people loved it so much that they played it at every major event, whether it was live or on a recording. And whenever it was played, everyone; couples, siblings, mothers, daughters, sons, fathers, and friend groups were all so encouraged and drawn to dance to it with a partner. No one knows why it has such an effect on people, but it always brought everyone together without fail.

That’s why she wanted us to see them so badly, isn’t it? Melinda looked Mrs. Blackbell’s way and saw that lady smirking at her, as if to affirm her suspicions. Then she and Jeeves looked at each other, and just then, the music began, starting off with some soft notes from the band’s electric guitar. The melody the guitarist played was so beautiful. The song just began, and Melinda felt like she was being pulled by some invisible force. And then a bass was added into the mix, but the drums player sat back for the moment. She was likely saving it for the chorus.

As Melinda stood there, contemplating whether or not she could dance to this solo, Jeeves stood beside her, and the slight trembling in his lips showed that the music was affecting him as well. He also was trying to make up his mind on what he wanted to do, what he should allow himself to feel. He’s grown so dangerously close to Melinda that any other physical contact could get him in trouble with either Master Desmond or the SSS, both consequences he wanted to avoid. But… He was going to ignore all that just for tonight and take this opportunity while it lasted.

“May I have this dance, Milady?”

Jeeves’s sudden gesture caught Melinda off guard. There he stood, looking into her eyes as he waited for an answer to his request. The music became muffled noise in her ears, and the light around the pavilion grew brighter, everyone else disappeared. If she accepted, this would cement her into the pit of her husband’s anger, which she was still deathly afraid of. But…

“Yes.” Melinda accepted his hand, and he led her onto the dance floor.

I don’t care.

Melinda and Jeeves came to the middle of the dance floor, just as the song was approaching its chorus, and they finally turned to face each other. He gently took her waist, and she brought up her hand to rest on his shoulder. This was the closest either of them had ever been to one another, and yet, Jeeves held her as if he’d done this many times before; his hands were gentle, and his eyes looked upon her with such kindness. The fears of the possible consequences of their actions ebbed away as soon as they stepped onto the dance floor and came face to face under the warm lights of the pavilion. And then, giving her an assuring smile, the butler led the First Lady into a waltz.

For years, in all the time Melinda had been a Desmond, her cold and callous husband never danced with her like this, not even during their wedding reception. Not since she was a child did she feel as safe in a man’s arms as she did now; this man that currently held her was the only man that cared about her, the only one that truly listened to her. Jeeves really was the man of her dreams, and after all the moments they shared together, she didn’t want to imagine a life without him in it.

Words cannot describe how much joy Jeeves felt as he and Melinda glided and spun across the floor, and although she still hid her face beneath the sunglasses and scarf, she shined like gold in his eyes. Having her dance with him this night felt like a dream, and yet it was reality. His desires for her were not spurred by only her radiant appearance, but by her personality, her contagious laughter, the genuine love she had for her son, and her determination to see him grow to be a kind, caring, and responsible gentleman, among many other wonderful traits that made up her entire being. The woman in front of him was all he ever wanted. To protect, care for, and love her was his calling, he knew that for certain.

Midnight Rose ended their song with a long-held, emotional note as the entire fairground erupted in applause. Some even shed tears because of how much the song touched their hearts. The band had accomplished what they had set out to do with that song, and so the members all joined hands and gave the crowd a unanimous bow.

          “Thank you, people of Berlint!” they shouted. Then the lead singer alone said, “We’ll be performing again for the fireworks show, so be expecting another one of our songs later on.”

As some people left the pavilion to enjoy other festival games and rides, Melinda and Jeeves met back up with the Blackbells and Mrs. Blackbell sighed in satisfaction, “That remains one of the best songs to come out of our generation. I could listen to that song for hours.” Her husband took her hand and chuckled in amusement, “Why don’t you wait until we arrive back home?” She rolled her eyes in feign disappointment and went back to talking with Melinda. “Byron and I would like to spend the rest of the evening on our own. Is that alright?”

          “Yes.” Melinda answered. “Don’t worry. It’s about time we go see how Demetrius is doing anyway. I’ll see you later, though, okay?”

Mrs. Blackbell gave a short nod and waved goodbye to her and Jeeves, and they waved goodbye as well. Once the Blackbell couple was out of sight, Jeeves gestured for her to lead the way and said, “Shall we go?” And with that, they went off in search of little Demetrius.

The search didn’t take long, they found him and the Roths at the pony rides, and he and Cordelia laughed and waved at Mr. and Mrs. Roth who were taking many photos of their pony ride experience. It’s probably safe to say that they’ve been taking pictures the entire time. Demetrius was having the time of his life here, smiling, laughing, and likely eating all the food he could get his hands on. It goes without saying that this made Melinda feel so relieved. Even though she’s not living at the mansion anymore, she can rest easy knowing that her son hasn’t forgotten that feeling of childlike wonder.

          “I’d say he’s doing alright.”

          “Do you think he’ll make it until the fireworks?” Jeeves asked.

Melinda giggled, “I’m sure he’ll force himself to stay awake until it’s over.” Then she turned to him and asked, “Are there any games here that you’d like to play? This might be your only chance you’ll get for a while.”

          “Games? Hmm…” He observed the area for any of the more difficult games that he knew were here.  Let’s see…there’s an obstacle course on this side of the fairgrounds, but after that dance, my legs need a break. Oh, I know! Jeeves pointed down the aisle closest to them and smiled, “There’s a darts game set up just down that way. Some of the setup volunteers thought it would be smart to have a few games that are for adults only.” And so, that’s where they went next. Melinda wanted to go first, so Jeeves stepped back to let her try her hand at it. She was given 3 darts, so Melinda needed to make them count.

          Ready…aim…

She sent her first dart flying toward the board, and while it was a good throw, her form needed some adjusting. The dart landed on Double 18.

          “Not bad, Milady.” Jeeves looked down at her feet and added, “Might I suggest slightly shifting your weight toward your dominant foot?” Melinda did as he suggested and threw her second dart. This one landed on the double 20 this time, putting her at 56 points. Jeeves was impressed, Melinda was quite good at darts. “Better. Now try to hit a triple this time.” Melinda focused closely on the color she wanted to hit and aimed the dart carefully. She needed to be careful not to throw it too hard or she’d miss.

She threw it, silently pleading that it would hit where she wanted it to hit. And…it did! A triple 19! The guy overseeing the game clapped and congratulated her, giving her a prize: a decorated mug with a cute, stuffed kitten peeking out of it. “Awww! That’s so cute, thank you very much!” The man gave her a cordial nod. Then it was Jeeves’s turn. He took the three darts and prepared to toss them, his form was perfect, and he threw each dart gracefully, like it was the easiest thing in the world. All the numbers put together; his score was 160 points.

          “That was relaxing.” He said with a proud expression. The man went to get his prize, but Jeeves held up his hand, “I’ll pass on the prize, thank you.”

          “If you say so, sir.”

Then he and Melinda walked off to go find another game to play. Jeeves pulled back the cuff of his sleeve to check his watch. It was nearing 8:00. “Well…” he said, “We still have an hour until the fireworks show begins, would you like to play a few more games?”

          “Do you even have to ask?”

Melinda and Jeeves had so much fun playing other, more active games until the show’s start. But the game Jeeves and Melinda enjoyed most out of all of them was the sack racing. They felt so silly hopping along with other adults that participated that Jeeves genuinely laughed, even as he tumbled onto the ground after he crossed the finish line, and Melinda followed soon after him. After they were satisfied with the games, they got some hot apple cider along with the actual festival food. Yep, they got pizza, popcorn, caramel apples, pumpkin pie, and Melinda even got some of it to take home.

Melinda and Jeeves had been finishing up their pumpkin pie when the announcement was made.

          “It’s about that time, ladies, gentlemen, and all you little munchkins! The fireworks show is ready to begin!”

Melinda smiled and she and Jeeves hurried out to the field to watch the show. First came the music, played by Midnight Rose, of course. And at last, the first of the fireworks shot up into the sky, bursting red light covered the whole area, followed by yellow, then white, green, purple, orange! The night sky had been decorated with beautiful bright colors as each spectator watched in astonishment, cheering at each firework sent upwards. Melinda and Jeeves watched the gorgeous sight side by side, totally drawn in by the beauty.

Standing not too far away from them was Demetrius. This was the first time he’s ever seen fireworks, and you’d think he might be just a little frightened, but no, he loved the display, staring up at it with his mouth hanging open and his eyes wide, his pupils had expanded in size along with his eyes. And beside him, Cordelia giggled happily as she jumped up and down in excitement, “It’s beautiful, isn’t it, Demmy? SO COOL!!!” Demetrius heard her, but words just weren’t coming to mind.

          “Yes…It’s…it’s…” Demetrius was so stunned. It literally took him 3 minutes to process what he was looking at before he finally allowed himself to smile, and all the joy just burst out of him like it had been trapped behind a door. He threw his fists into the air and started shouting in excitement. “THIS IS THE BEST THING I’VE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE!”

His joyous shouts brought Melinda’s attention away from the fireworks and over to him. There he was, jumping for joy with Cordelia. The two children had been so overcome with excitement that they hugged, jumped and spun all at the same time. Even Jeeves had taken his eyes off the sky to watch him. This was the happiest he’s ever seen Demetrius be. During those 6 years of staying in seclusion, studying all through the day, he figured that there was a suppressed emotion just waiting for the chance to be let out.

Suddenly, his attention was stolen by the sight of Melinda trembling. He put his hand on her back and asked, “Milady, is everything alright?” Melinda nodded and lifted her head back up, she was looking at him with her eyes overflowing with tears of joy, “Yes, Jeeves. Everything is just perfect.” To be honest, both the sight of Demetrius being so happy and energetic and Melinda crying tears of joy because of it, was almost bringing him to tears. This is what he lived for: Melinda and her child’s happiness.

          “Is there anything you’d like to take home?”

Jeeves smiled as the colors continued to light up the sky above him. If I had to choose…I’d say this moment is all I need.

Chapter Text

It rained, it was quiet, and nothing more needed to be done. All the time in the world she had to herself, and there she spent it in her house, in her living room with a pen in her hand and an open journal that rested on her knees that she’d pulled up onto the chair with her.

September 15, 1958

Today marks one week since my son, Demetrius, began school. Unfortunately, I’m not able to speak to him directly as of now, but Jeeves has graciously offered to keep me in the know of his well-being; and so, I’ve decided to keep in this journal the updates Jeeves gives me. So far, I hear that Demetrius is doing a splendid job in his classes, being well-behaved, receiving nearly perfect grades in all his subjects, and making friends with his classmates, who admire his accomplishments thus far. However, Jeeves says that he really only speaks with Cordelia Roth, the young girl he met during the exam. Apparently they study after school quite often and enjoy tea and cakes together. There’s only one thing that saddens me, and it’s that if Cordelia isn’t around, he asks Jeeves or his father about me, and whether or not he can ever see me again. Oh, Demmy, I wish you could, but I hope that you’ll wait just a bit longer for me.

September 20, 1958

Jeeves came by to update me again, and I must say that I am so happy for Demetrius! He received his first Stella Star yesterday! His grades have caught the attention of the Eden College educators! Jeeves told the household chef to bake him a cake to congratulate him, and gave me a secret photo of the occasion! I’m very excited to receive more news like this along with more secret photos!

October 1, 1958

Oh, what a wonderful day this was! In arts and crafts today, Demetrius was given instructions to draw where he saw himself in the future, and guess what he drew? A depiction of himself as a successful businessman, and to add to the picture, he drew me beside him, and we were both smiling. Of course, he also drew his father next to me, but we’re drawn far enough apart, so I’ll forgive it. Thanks to Jeeves, more and more secret photos decorate my refrigerator!

October 5, 1958

I must have heard Jeeves wrong, or did he really just tell me that Demetrius has earned another Stella for breaking up a fight between two students? Eden must be feeling generous this year. Oh, Demetrius, you are such a sweet boy! Despite living with a man who is nowhere near as kind, you still treat others with kindness and compassion. I love you so much, dear! Continue working hard to become an Imperial Scholar!

Day after day, it looked like only good had come out of Demetrius’s school year. Melinda definitely had high hopes for her son, considering he still had a healthy mindset and was unaffected by living with his father, keeping her in his thoughts at all times. The love she showed him had wrapped around him like a protective shield, preventing him from even entertaining the thought that she had abandoned him. According to Jeeves, Demetrius was 100% confident that she would never leave him of her own accord.

          “I know she doesn’t live here anymore, but I don’t blame her at all. Knowing Mother, there’s no way that she left because she wanted to.”

Jeeves placed his teacup down on the saucer in front of him. “So, you see, Milady, Demetrius still loves you dearly. His feelings have remained unchanged since you were moved here.”

          “Is that so?” Melinda smiled and sighed in relief, “While he might not know that his father is the reason I live apart from him, I’m glad he understands that I didn’t choose this.”

          “You’ll also be glad to hear that Demetrius will receive four Stellas for having the top scores on four of the subjects on his midterm exams.”

Melinda’s eyes brightened up as she heard those words. “Four Stellas? Is that really true? That’s amazing!” Jeeves nodded with a smile, “It really is. Despite being only 6 years old, he’s surpassed the expectations of the school.”

With a gleeful squeal, she clapped her hands together and hopped happily. “Oh, can’t I bend the rules this once to make him a meal befitting a prince!?” She asked with a squeal. Jeeves laughed at her enthusiasm, but she soon sat down and reverted to a sad smile. “I want to, but I can’t. My husband said so himself, he’ll make sure I can never see him again.”

Uh-oh, Melinda was becoming moody again, but Jeeves quickly added his own counterargument to reassure her. “Milady, all hope might not be lost. Demetrius has five Stella Stars, if he manages to receive an extra three, then he’ll become an Imperial Scholar. If that happens before the twenty-first of next month, then he’ll be allowed access to an exclusive event for Imperial Scholars.” Melinda tilted her head, as if to say, “That’s wonderful, but how would that help my situation?”

          “The parents of the Imperial Scholars are also permitted to attend the event. As far as I’m concerned, Master Desmond has no say in who can go and who can’t, many of the attendees are celebrities or other politicians. He can’t keep you from attending without raising the suspicions of others. The only drawback is that you’ll need to enter the venue with him.”

Enter the venue with her husband? Riding in the same car as him? The thought of him was frightening enough, but being right next to him in a car for the 20-minute drive to the school? She took a deep breath and suppressed a shudder, “I’ll be fine. As long as I focus on Demetrius, I can make it to the end of the event.”

         “Don’t worry too much, Milady.” Said Jeeves as he shot a quick glance at his watch. “You have a long while to prepare yourself for what might happen. It all depends on Demetrius and if he earns the title before this year’s event.” His watch read 8:26, he needed to head back to the estate to finish up the evening chores before curfew, so he took his coat and put it on while bidding Melinda goodnight. As he walked out the door, Melinda called to him, “Wish Demetrius sweet dreams for me!”

Jeeves smiled and replied, “As you wish, Milady.” Then she added, “Give him my encouragement as well! Make sure he knows that I have complete faith in him!”

          “Will do, Milady.”

The main hall was quiet when he returned, it seemed like all the rest of the house staff were already preparing to retire for the night. He shrugged the silence off and went to go wish Demetrius a good night, but he bumped into a maid that was carrying a glass of water. This maid went by the name “Nina”, and she was one of the younger staff members.

          “Oh, good evening, Jeeves.” She greeted him quietly.

          “Good evening, Nina.” He replied. “It’s well past the maids’ curfew, what are you still doing up?” Nina smiled and gestured to the glass in her hands, “The young master requested a glass of water before bed, so I’m just going to drop it off before I go upstairs.”

“I’m on my way to his room now. Allow me to bring it to him, you need your proper rest.” He gently took the glass from her hands before she could even say anything, all she did was stammer at him, “W-well, i-if you say so, Jeeves. I don’t want to give you any extra work, though…”

          “Don’t fret, Nina. As I said, I was going to the young master’s room anyway. Please, leave the rest to me.”

Nina smiled and backed away from him, “Goodnight, Jeeves. Thank you.” Then she retreated to the Servants’ Quarters.

As Jeeves approached Demetrius’s bedroom, he heard this sound, the sound of happy giggling and scampering footsteps behind the door. Jeeves, already knowing that the young Desmond boy was still up and about, knocked on the door, “Young Master Demetrius, it’s Jeeves. May I come in?” After another small giggle, Demetrius answered, “Come in.” So, Jeeves pushed open the door and found him up on his full-sized bed, acting as if he’s been in bed the whole time.

          “Good evening, Young Master Demetrius.”

Demetrius, still in a giggling mood, smiled and replied, “Hi, Jeeves!” Although it’s been a few months since he started acting more energetic, Jeeves still couldn’t believe how quickly he changed. Walked out of the mansion that day a quiet and monotone child, and came back a bright-eyed and playful little boy.

          “I brought the water you requested.” He set the glass on the nightstand and Demetrius thanked him. “I can’t believe I’m almost an Imperial Scholar! It’s only been 2 months, and I’ve already got 5 stars!” He balled his hands into fists and raised them up high in victory, “Three more and Father will finally be proud of me!” At that exclamation, Jeeves looked at him in puzzlement, “Just your father?”

“Yeah. Mother being proud of me is a given, but Father isn’t easily impressed…I don’t think he even cares unless I accomplish anything big.” The boy’s head lowered, and he looked toward the glass of water on his nightstand, the lamp’s light was reflecting on the water, but it illuminated very little of the room, about as much as a gas lantern would.

“Jeeves?”

“Yes, Master Demetrius?”

For a moment, a hint of sadness showed itself in Demetrus’s golden-brown eyes, “I know that it was Father that made Mother move away…” Then he glanced at Jeeves, “Why did he do that? I know they aren’t that close, but I thought that he would at least let her stay in the house.”

Jeeves didn’t know how to answer. He couldn’t tell him the truth now, because that could worsen Master Desmond’s mood even more than it already was; and what would happen if he did tell him? Would Demetrius start acting rebellious towards his father? How would that affect the family’s image?

I’m not exactly concerned about Donovan, but Melinda and Demetrius are a different story. No, anything that would put the Desmond family in a negative light is too dangerous right now. With a deep sigh, Jeeves gave him the only answer he could, “I’m not at liberty to say, Young Master. Perhaps someday in the future, when things are different, your questions will be answered. For now, all I can say for certain is that your mother loves you very much, and that she has complete faith in you to become an Imperial Scholar.”

Looks like he wouldn’t be getting a definite answer for a while, but Demetrius was content just knowing that his mother was still checking in on him through Jeeves, and that she wasn’t going to let his father’s rules hold her back. For now, that was enough for him.

          “Thanks, Jeeves.”

“You’re welcome, Master Demetrius.”

There, everything that he wanted to say had been said, and now it was time for bed. Demetrius laid down on the mattress and pulled the blankets up to his neck and Jeeves turned off the lamp. Then he said to Jeeves before he closed the door, “Goodnight.” The butler smiled, “Sweet dreams.”

Demetrius had awakened at 6:30 AM, already full of energy and ready to earn more Stellas! But first, his stomach begged for breakfast, so, without even putting on his slippers, he scurried out of his room and down the stairs. Up ahead, just before the dining room, Jeeves stood at attention waiting for him, and only then did Demetrius slow to a walk (because Jeeves might have actually clotheslined him to stop his running), and the kind of expression that Jeeves had told him all he needed to know. His father was already at the dining table.

          “Good morning, Master Demetrius.” Jeeves greeted him. “Breakfast will be served shortly, but I’ve prepared some orange juice for you.” Demetrius smiled and replied, “Thanks, Jeeves! Are you driving me to school again today?” Jeeves laughed at the child and bent down to match his height, “Master Demmy, you don’t have school today. It’s the weekend.”

Was it the weekend already? The other day felt like a Tuesday, but as the saying goes, time flies. Demetrius entered the dining room quietly and sat next to his father at the table. They didn’t exchange many words before the meal was brought out to them, nothing really past a “Good morning”. Demetrius sighed quietly, totally exhausted from the awkward silence alone. Ever since his mother moved, mornings just weren’t the same at the mansion, they were just boring, the room was less bright, even with the curtains open and the morning light poured into the room. The servants around the house were the only ones that made living there bearable. Demetrius dug into the eggs on his plate silently, focusing on his own thoughts rather than what his father was doing, which was just eating his food while periodically looking up at him.

          This is stupid. Thought Demetrius. Isn’t there something I can say to him that doesn’t earn me an unamused response? I don’t have anything in common with him like I do with mother, other than our appearances. Well…there’s one thing I can talk to him about, but his reaction varies.

He looked up again at his father, this time he was writing something down on a notepad, and while Demetrius was curious as to what it was, he decided not to pry too much and just say what he wanted to say. He said, “Father…I may not have school today, but can I invite Cordelia over to study with me?” Donovan was quick to reply, “Not today. I’m expecting a guest this afternoon, and we’re discussing confidential information. Miss Roth can’t visit in the near future either, because once this guest of mine leaves, I’m traveling with them out of town.”

          “Oh…can I then at least study elsewhere? If only for a change of scenery?”

          “Where do you want to study?”

Demetrius hesitated. He should have thought of a location before he asked. The Berlint Library? No, too many people would see him, and security would need to follow him. At a loss, he looked to Jeeves for a suggestion.

Jeeves had been standing silently across the room since the meal began, and he’s been listening to the conversation, and he also understood that Demetrius wanted his help. Funny thing, Jeeves had a suggestion prepared as soon as the boy said he wanted to study elsewhere. He used sign language to communicate his idea, and fortunately Demetrus was able to understand, and he liked that idea.

          “I want to study at Mother’s parents’ house.” He said with a smile.

Donovan closed his eyes in thought. Surprisingly he was actually considering the idea. “Hmm…” He opened his eyes and nodded, “Very well. You may go, but be sure to tell your mother’s parents that you are at their house to study and nothing more.”

          “I will, you don’t have to worry about that, father.”

Right after he finished his breakfast, Demetrius skipped off happily to his room to gather his books while Jeeves went to make the call to the Astor Residence. Before he picked up the phone, however, Donovan stepped right next to him before returning to his study. “I have another task for you after Demetrius is picked up. Tell Melinda that if Demetrius does, indeed, become an Imperial Scholar, she has my permission to attend the Gathering, and that my limo will pick her up at her house.”

          “Of course, sir.” Jeeves agreed, but once again, there are other servants in the house besides him, right? “But…why me?” Just before Donovan left the room, he muttered something: "Why not? You're already giving her updates on Demetrius during your breaks, aren't you?" Jeeves’s eyes widened a fraction. He knows? That was one more thing to tell Melinda when he went out today, but first, the Astors needed to be called, so he took the phone and dialed their number.

Ding dong!

          “They’re here! Awesome!” Demetrius raced into the foyer with his school bag and Jeeves following close behind him. He gave a small smile and replied, “Now, Master Demmy, they may be your grandparents, but they will still have rules. Please be on your best behavior.” Jeeves would have thought it safer if Master Desmond came to see his son off, but he was unfortunately preparing his Study for this supposed “guest” of his.

Once he opened the mansion’s door, he and Demetrius were greeted with the lovely Astor couple. They had been married for 28 years so far, and they had a reputation for being extremely pleasant people to be around. They even are said to bring presents to the patients at the children’s hospital they owned. Knowing that Demetrius would be in their care for the day brought Jeeves great relief, as it would Melinda once he told her.

Rolf Astor stood at a tall 5,10 with ash brown hair and irises that resembled his daughter’s. He was still pretty fit, even though he still suffered a horrible third degree burn he received on his left leg during a fire way back when. His wife, Luciana, had thankfully been a doctor during that time, and she was able to treat his leg before it got to amputation levels of bad. Luciana was a beautiful lady, short with a petite frame, and her eyes were a bright blue with a tinge of yellow around her pupils, and those same pupils grew with joy when she saw Demetrius appear in the door frame.

          “Oh my…” She said in awe. “Demetrius, you’ve grown so much!”

Demetrius giggled and went up to her, only to be pulled into a tight embrace, which he welcomed. Jeeves and Rolf watched as he was led into the gleaming silver car by his grandmother as she started to go on and on about how excited she was to finally have him over. Rolf turned to Jeeves the moment the car’s door shut.

          “He will be just fine with us, and we will return him in time for his curfew.” He told him. Jeeves nodded and replied, “That’s acceptable. Master Desmond will be preoccupied all day, I imagine.” Rolf gave off the impression that he understood but was also bothered by something, and Jeeves was already expecting the kind of question he was about to ask. And it turned out that he was right, because Rolf looked Jeeves in the eyes and asked, “How is my daughter? Is she doing well these days?”

Jeeves knew he couldn’t tell him everything at the moment, but he could at least tell him about Melinda’s well-being. “She’s comfortable for now. Unforeseen circumstances caused her to move to a private location, but it’s not because she was in any danger. This is simply the best way that she can do her work more efficiently, and I am often sent to check in on her at the behest of her husband.” (Lies. He visits her because he wants to.)

Even if Rolf wasn’t entirely convinced of the reason for his daughter living apart from her husband and child, he knew about Jeeves and was certain that he would uphold his oath to protect the Desmond family. “Good then.” He said. “Will you be checking in on her today?”

“Once Master Demetrius is off the property, I’ll be heading out. Would you like me to tell her you and the missus say hello?” Rolf nodded and bowed to show his gratitude, “Please do. Also, tell her that if she needs us for anything, she’s still welcome to visit our family home.” Jeeves smirked and suppressed a chuckle, “I will, Mr. Astor. I wish you all safe travels.”

Just as Rolf got back into the car, Demetrius rolled down the window to wave goodbye. “Jeeves, can you let Mother know where I’m going today?” Jeeves replied, “Of course, Master Demetrius.”

          “Get her some lunch, too? She really likes pasta!”

So many Melinda related requests. He was definitely going to have his hands full today. He waved to Demetrius, “I’ll do what I can, Master Demetrius.” With that, he watched the Astors and Demetrius drove off the estate grounds, cuing him to head back inside to prepare himself before going to meet Melinda.

Melinda sat at her desk with one hand holding her face and the other holding the telephone. She laughed happily with the person on the other end of the phone, “This is so exciting! Congratulations, Clara!” The person she was talking to was Mrs. Blackbell, and she had been the one that called Melinda that morning, excitedly giving her the news that she just found out that she was pregnant!

          “Thank you, Melinda!” Mrs. Blackbell said happily, “I can’t believe that it’s actually happening! And my doctor said that I wouldn’t be able to, well he can eat those words now!” Once again, the two women laughed. “How did Byron take the news?” asked Melinda. Mrs. Blackbell replied, “Oh, he’s been crying tears of joy since I told him.”

Then, interrupting their over-the-phone celebration, the doorbell rang. It was no surprise to Melinda, really, the only ones that ever came to her house were Mrs. Blackbell and Jeeves, and she was talking to the former on the phone. “I have to go now, Clara. Jeeves is at the door, but perhaps I can get the Lady Patriots together so we can all go out and celebrate.”

          “No problem, Melinda. I’ll let you go talk with your beloved.”

          “W-wha? Beloved?”

Mrs. Blackbell hung up before Melinda could say anything else. She sighed, her friend was probably too ecstatic about her pregnancy to understand her words. Well, she shouldn’t keep him waiting. She stood up from her seat and hurried down the stairs to the living room, and as expected, Jeeves was at the door, wearing his casual outing clothes. “Good morning. Milady.”

          “Hello, Jeeves. What brings you here? You just visited a couple days ago.”

Jeeves removed his hat and entered the house with Melinda’s permission. “I’ve been asked by a few of your family members to come visit. First off, your parents say hello.” Melinda wasn’t expecting word from her parents, but was glad to hear that they still let her know that they were doing fine. Jeeves continued, “Your son also wanted me to let you know that he will be studying at their estate today."

Melinda replied, “Was Donovan okay with that?” Jeeves nodded, “Yes, but only if he studied and nothing more.”

          “Then, wonderful! They’ve been wanting him to visit for a while.” If there’s one thing she knew about her parents, it’s that they love children, and since it’s their grandson visiting, they’re definitely going to shower that boy with affection. She had nothing to worry about.

When Jeeves saw that she was pleased with the news, he added the second part of Demetrius’s request, “Your son also requested that I take you out to lunch this afternoon.” He already had a restaurant in mind, but he wanted to hear what Melinda thought first, because in all the years of her marriage, and probably before then, no one else really consulted her first before making a decision on anything. He didn’t want her to feel like she was just here to keep up appearances. Melinda seemed to like the idea, though. “Sounds great, I could use an afternoon out of the house. But we have a while until then, so why don’t we enjoy a cup of coffee first?”

Melinda instructed Jeeves to sit at the dining table while she brewed them some coffee, which was something she normally did whenever he came to update her, but it always felt a little odd, because up until she was moved here, Jeeves had always been the one to bring her drinks. She’s been living alone for the past 3 months, so he supposed that she’s gotten used to brewing her own tea and coffee. I could have offered to brew the coffee myself, but it’s probably best to let her gain at least some independence. Besides, she seems to like this change.

          “So…” Melinda came out of the kitchen holding two mugs and a ceramic creamer cup. “Is there anything else you have to report? You’re the only one able to relay any information about the Desmond Household, and I can’t afford to be ignorant.” She gave Jeeves his mug and set hers and the creamer cup down on the table, taking her seat directly across from him. “Well, there is something Master Desmond would like me to tell you. He’s given you his permission to attend the Social Gathering once Demetrius becomes an Imperial Scholar, so you don’t need to worry about asking for permission. He will pick you up in his limo before the event.”

What a relief. Melinda would faint from stress if she had to confront him directly about it. “Good. The situation seems…less stressful somehow. I’m sure that if you weren’t always giving me updates on Demetrius and the household, my hair would be painted silver by now.”

          “You needn’t worry about silver hair just yet, Milady.” Jeeves laughed. “As long as I’m around, you’ll have easy access to information on your family.”

Melinda couldn’t help but find this conversation humorous. They were speaking to each other like they were spies, only they weren’t trying to cause trouble.

She really couldn’t be more thankful for Jeeves’s help, looking after her son, slipping her photos of him being happy and photocopies of the drawings he sometimes makes, proudly telling her all about Demetrius’s achievements at school. This was the man she loved; this was the father that Demetrius deserved.

Jeeves looked through the window on the back wall of the dining room. The gentle autumn breeze swayed the trees and the sun’s light was barely able to show through the many clouds that passed beneath it. He thought about Donovan’s words to him that morning, “You're already giving her updates on Demetrius during your breaks, aren't you?" If he knows about that, then it’s almost certain that he’s planted wiretaps around the house during the move, meaning it wasn’t only Melinda’s movements he was monitoring, but also everything she said within her own home. Seeing the way Melinda was speaking to him gave the impression that she was unaware of the wiretaps, but he couldn’t mention them here, it would be far too risky.

          “Perhaps we should head out a bit earlier today, Milady.” He told her.

Melinda looked up from her mug as she sipped from it, “Hm?” Jeeves took another sip from his own mug and said, “The temperature is still in the upper forties, so we should enjoy this weather while it lasts. Also, there are a few locations in this town that just look better in the fall. Is that alright with you?” Melinda didn’t entirely see the need to leave the house 2 hours before lunch, but she supposed it would be good to take in some fresh air first.

With their hats and coats on, Jeeves and Melinda went into town. They visited many of Berlint’s attractions; a short trip to the same park they visited last time, the art museum, even the city’s botanical garden, and in each location Jeeves noticed a few suspicious characters watching them from afar, and they weren’t just curious civilians. They were blatantly obvious spies.

It was only obvious to him because since he worked in the Desmond Household, he’s seen all of Donovan’s informants before, and he knows their mannerisms. As he and Melinda walked the streets to their next destination, he started to get annoyed with the spies constantly watching them. He tried not to let his face convey his mood, but Melinda noticed anyway.

          “Is everything alright?” she asked. Jeeves sighed, “No, Milady…” he lowered his voice to a barely audible whisper, “Your husband’s spies are becoming an annoyance, we need to shake them off before we get to the restaurant.” Melinda wasn’t surprised to hear that they were being watched, but she agreed that it was time to lose them. “What’s your plan?” Without turning his head, he looked at her and whispered, “We’ll need to take an alleyway. Just follow my lead.”

Just ahead of them, there was an alley wide enough for the both of them to slip into. Jeeves knew very little about where the alleyways led out to, but he knew where the restaurant was in the city, so all he needed to do was get them to higher ground. As soon as they reached the alley, Jeeves quickly took hold of Melinda and they turned the corner, and before she knew it, they were running through the maze of alleys with Jeeves leading the way. He was almost running too fast for her to keep up with, but for the sake of losing the spies, she ran as quickly as she could while making sure her heels wouldn’t throw off her balance.

“This way, Milady.”

Jeeves took one last turn into a dead-end alley where they came to a stop. He held out his hand for her to take, “We’ve almost lost them.” So, Melinda took his hand, and he swooped her off her feet and he looked from the building on their left to the one on their right, and then he did something Melinda never knew he could do: he began to jump from one wall to the other all the way up until they reached the left-side building’s roof. Melinda was astonished. He wall-jumped to the roof while carrying her!

Jeeves looked below them and saw the spies running toward the building. “Get down, Milady.” Melinda crouched with him and they waited for the spies to give up.

          “Where’d they go?”

          “They couldn’t have just vanished into thin air!”

          “But there’s no ladder on this building.”

          “They’re probably headed toward Herschel Avenue. Let’s go.”

The footsteps of the spies got further and further away as they ran in the exact opposite direction their targets were going. They waited a few more minutes before standing up, the spies were nowhere to be seen below them. “Alright.” Said Jeeves. “They’re gone. Do you need a moment to collect yourself, Milady?” Melinda shook her head and replied, “No. Let’s get moving.” Although the wall-jumping was definitely a surprise.

Thanks to the rooftop view of the city, Jeeves was able to figure out exactly where they were and which way the restaurant was. He helped Melinda down from the roof using a drainage pipe and the two were finally able to walk the rest of the way safely among the other pedestrians. It was then that Melinda decided to ask her question.

          “How were you able to perform a wall-jump like that? I was surprised how quickly you moved.”

Jeeves put his hands in his coat pockets and nonchalantly replied, “It was muscle memory, that’s all.” But Melinda was unconvinced that that was all it was. “Muscle memory? But you did it so effortlessly, and while you were carrying me too! Did you always hold someone while performing wall jumps before?” Jeeves remembered wall-jumping a lot as a child, but only for two reasons; the first one was to play, and the other reason was because he was training. But he didn’t take the career path that kind of training was meant for, so he never used it before today.

He couldn’t tell her the specifics, so he bent the truth ever so slightly. “I often practiced it with my father. However, I wasn’t always strong enough to carry a person while doing it, so I carried a ball instead.” Melinda laughed at the thought of Jeeves as a little boy jumping from wall to wall with a ball in his hands. It was probably a lot lighter than a fully grown adult, though.

They finally reached the restaurant at 12:30, which was a bit late, but at least it was still in the noon. The name of the building was Eastern Delights, and it was a pasta establishment. While not incredibly fancy, it was rated a 4-star restaurant, and the atmosphere was said to be cozy and welcoming with a warm light and an elegant color scheme of brown, white, and black.

Melinda could already smell the pleasant aroma of the pasta by standing outside the door, and she and Jeeves almost walked inside, but then something occurred to him and he stopped her. “Wait, before we go in, you’ll need to remove your head scarf and sunglasses. This restaurant doesn’t allow face coverings.”

          Melinda looked back at him and said, “But I’ll be recognized. I need these.” Jeeves just smiled and pulled her to the side, “Don’t worry. I came prepared for this.”

Melinda didn’t know what could possibly disguise her better, but she slowly figured that out as Jeeves removed her head scarf and glasses and gave her a simple yet effective makeover. He placed round wire glasses on her with fake lenses, then he took her hair and pulled most of it back into a short ponytail while leaving the two longer strands to dangle by her ears, and to add one final touch, he took out a red headband and gently placed it on her head, just behind her bangs.

“There. Now all people will see is a beautiful brunette out for lunch.” Jeeves showed her via her reflection in the window, and...he was right. She didn’t look like herself, just a normal, albeit nerdy woman that’s out for lunch. “Amazing.” She sighed. It certainly was amazing how much of a change a simple pair of glasses and a ponytail could make.

         Jeeves, for one, liked this look on Melinda. It was more adorable than classy, and it suited her very well. He smiled and opened the door for her, “Ready, Milady?” Melinda giggled and walked into the building, “Thank you very much, sir.”

Now, when they got inside, Jeeves had to take his hat off, and the only thing he really had to disguise himself with was a fake stubble he had to apply in the restroom before anyone else saw him. To the waiter that asked Melinda if it was just her, she told him that her boyfriend was almost done in the restroom, and when Jeeves came back out, he looked like he actually had facial hair, and…man, did it look good on him!

The waiter led them to their table, which Melinda asked if they could get one that wasn’t in an area that was too crowded, and thankfully the waiter obliged and seated them at a table for two in a corner right next to a window. The lighting was just right, and there were at least two tables from anyone, it was literally the perfect spot for them. So, they took their seats and ordered their drinks; Jeeves ordered a champagne and Melinda ordered a low-alcohol wine.

As soon as the waiter was out of sight, Jeeves and Melinda let out a great sigh of relief. “Now we can relax.” Jeeves chuckled. “Yes,” said Melinda, “But it unfortunately won’t last. Those stalkers are probably still trying to figure out where we went.”

          “All the more reason to eat our fill so we have enough energy to outrun them again.”

          “As long as they’re following me, I don’t want to go back home where they can spy on me more.” Melinda crossed her arms and huffed, and Jeeves understood her irritation. There weren’t many places they could go in Berlint where they wouldn’t be spied on. Several options came to mind, but only one would provide guaranteed peace and quiet and was practically an anxiety-free zone. It would take quite a hike to get to, though.

The arrival of his and Melinda’s drinks snapped him out of his thoughts, but it didn’t vanish completely from his mind, it just…lingered. They raised their glasses and clinked them lightly.

          Maybe this is a thought best considered over a good meal.

Chapter Text

The Astor Estate wasn’t entirely unlike his father’s house, but there were things they had that weren’t found back home. For instance, the moment Demetrius had stepped onto the property, he noticed topiaries lining the house. Some had been trimmed into the shape of squirrels, some foxes, and some even resembled a parent and their child, highlighting their love for nostalgia and childlike wonder. Honestly, though, it’s exactly what he pictured would be there considering that they were borderline godparents for the children housed in their hospital.

The inside of the mansion was even more impressive: polished wood flooring and alabaster walls, almost every hall had at least one picture of Melinda when she was younger, even her old bedroom had been kept clean, and everything was placed where it had been before she moved out. To make things more interesting, there was a sunroom with a marvelous view of the garden out back.

Other than those few things, everything else wasn’t anything Demetrius wasn't familiar with. Even the library was almost exactly like the one he had back home, and he told his grandparents that he read most of the books before. However, the book he’d been reading in the living room for the past hour was something he never read, and to his surprise, it was really intriguing.

The book was titled A Survivor’s Tale: Volume 1. The book was a collection of true stories told by veterans of the first war between Ostania and Westalis. What was so interesting to Demetrius was that the veterans went into deep detail about their endeavors and how horrifying it all was.

Now, it wasn’t the death and destruction that he enjoyed, but the fact that these soldiers had gone through hell but were willing to revisit those memories to let the masses know of their experience, and how war shouldn’t be glorified, despite how the government views it.

Demetrius read the final paragraph of the volume, sighing out a long-held breath. His grandparents had been sitting across from him on the sofa while enjoying their tea, all the while watching his expressions change as he read the various stories.

          “How was it, dear?” asked his grandmother.

Demetrius closed the book and looked over to her with a relieved smile, “What an intense experience. I never thought that those kinds of stories would be allowed to actually get published.”

His grandmother looked at her husband, and the chuckle he let out sounded a little nervous. “Well, Demetrius…the government never allowed its publishment. It was self-published and copies were made in secret. We only have it because we met the author himself, and he gave us a copy as a token of appreciation after we resuscitated him when he went into cardiac arrest.” Demetrius was glad to hear that his grandparents help people besides children, but again, while he may be very young, even he knew that it was extremely dangerous to just possess the book, considering how the government doesn’t really like unapproved media being sold in their country. If they were to find out that his grandparents had a copy, or even worse, if his father found out…

“Demetrius?”

He had to keep this a secret, for their sake. Still, the thought of what could happen scared him, so he set the book to the side, and he pulled up his feet onto the chair. With a meek voice, he asked them, “Do you know any nicer stories? Something that’s not scary?”

Luciana and Rolf saw how unnerved their grandson was, and it brought back memories of when their daughter was his age, and how they told her stories when she was frightened. Although it was more of a bedtime story than anything, they knew of one that would be enough to comfort Demetrius. So, they gestured for him to come and sit in between them, and he did, then they all sat back comfortably as Luciana began the story. “Let me tell you the story of a young man that discovered something incredible while exploring a quiet landscape in the countryside…”

Once they’d finished their delicious meal, Jeeves and Melinda left the restaurant and debated what their next destination should be, and although Jeeves had the perfect place in mind, he wasn’t sure if he should bring her there. If her husband were to ever find that place, there’s no telling what he’d do to claim it, or what he’d do once he did. It was a well-guarded secret that was shared with very specific people, and even his own parents were hesitant to share it with him. But this was Melinda, he trusted her enough to keep this place a secret.

He stopped them at the edge of the sidewalk, and he looked for a taxi to hail while Melinda observed their surroundings, just to make sure that the spies that followed them earlier hadn’t tracked them down. They may have changed their faces, but their clothes remained the same, and that could easily give them away. Thankfully there was a taxi moving slow enough for Jeeves to hail it with a whistle, and it pulled over immediately so they could climb inside.

          “Afternoon, folks.” The taxi driver greeted. “Where are you two headed?” Jeeves cleared his throat and disguised his voice ever so slightly, “Eastwood Farm, please.”

          “An hour’s drive from here. Get comfortable; because the traffic leading out of the city gets busy at this hour.” And with that, the ride kicked off.

As the buildings out the window passed by, Melinda sighed, feeling relieved to have gotten away from the crowds. Jeeves, however, wouldn’t let down his guard until he was absolutely sure that they weren’t being tailed, and as an extra precaution, he didn’t say anything to Melinda about why they were going to Eastwood Farm, or anything for that matter. Although the silence was a little eerie, Melinda seemed to understand that Jeeves didn’t want to risk tipping off even the taxi driver. The most he did to assure her that everything would be fine was hold her hand firmly, and it was like that the entire drive out.

Eastwood Farm was in a rural part of the region, and many civilians often went there for tours that the landowner sometimes gave. It was a really nice place to go to get away from the big city noise, but this was not the place Jeeves was taking them.

As soon as they stepped out of the taxi and it was out of sight, Jeeves led Melinda further down the road past the farm. The property stretched 5 acres to the north, 2 acres to the east, and 2 to the west; and they hiked towards the west all the way to the end of the property. Once they reached the edge of the farm, they stopped and Jeeves tilted his head upward. He was looking in the direction of a cliffside that stood approximately 60 meters high and stretched a width of maybe 80 meters to the right, and the cliffside itself was surrounded by trees; a thick, wooded area.

The sight alone was amazing, but Melinda wondered if there was a peaceful area within the woods that he was taking her too, and when she looked back at him, he just gave a nod to himself, affirming that they were headed in the right direction, and he held her hand all the way through the trees, making specific turns and past what looked like ordinary stones to the average person. They were ordinary stones, to be fair, but to Jeeves, they were landmarks.

He and Melinda only came to a stop once they reached the cliffside, which was covered in ivy vines that ran all the way up to the very top of the trees. She watched, puzzled as Jeeves ran his hand along the vines, as if feeling for something. He stopped just next to an oak tree that had a body that was much thicker than the rest, and the closer Melinda got to it, she realized that it was much colder too, as if the bark itself were made of ice.

          “Here, Milady.”

Jeeves stuck his hands into the patch of thick vines and parted them as he would with curtains. Melinda’s expression filled with amazement at what she saw. There was a tunnel behind the vines, and with the little sunlight that shone into it, she noticed that the tunnel walls had been carefully chiseled to smooth perfection, leading her to believe that the tunnel was man-made. Jeeves stepped through the opening and held out his hand to assist Melinda. Once she successfully stepped into the tunnel, Jeeves closed the vines back up, but Melinda was a little concerned. “What if someone notices the vines are loose?”

          “Don’t worry, Milady.” Said Jeeves as he reached along the wall for something. “Those vines grow abnormally fast. In 3 days, they’ll be just as thick as they were before. The thickness of the vines changes depending on the season, but they cover up the tunnel all year round.” Jeeves grabbed an unlit torch from the wall and set it ablaze with a lighter he took out of his pocket. “Follow close behind me.”

Besides the smooth walls, the tunnel also had incredibly smooth stairs leading upward. She was so curious that her questions just couldn’t wait until they reached the end, so she just came right out and asked him. “How is this even possible? That a tunnel like this could exist with no one knowing?”

Jeeves held the torch out farther as he explained what he could. “The tunnel started out as a natural formation within the cliffside, but the young man that discovered it found that the more he came through it, the harder it became to traverse. So he, alone began to chisel the stone into an opening that was much easier to go through. The man didn’t want to allow strangers to ruin what he started, so he only shared it with those he trusted the most, knowing that they would keep it hidden from authoritative figures and other intruders. Over the years, the secret of this place was passed down to only close friends, significant others, and only one descendant of each generation, all who swore an oath to protect the secret.”

          “I don’t get it. Is the tunnel the secret?”

          “No. It’s what’s at the end of the tunnel they wanted to protect.”

The climb up the stairs was gradual, but never did they turn impossibly steep, and it took them 10 minutes to finally be able to see the light at the end. At the top of the stairs, there was a short path that led to the exit, but before they stepped out, Jeeves stopped next to a bowl-shaped opening in the wall just before the exit and he dipped the torch in and extinguished the flame, there was also a stand he set the torch on for later use.

It was all so mystical to her, like something straight out of a fairytale. Then again, now that she’s laid her eyes upon the incredible sight that was right before her, “fairytale” might be an understatement.

Below the spot where they stood was a lush, green valley. Every corner of it thrived with trees, beautiful flowers ran along the sides of a long river, and although she was still high above the ground, she noticed a courtyard at the bottom of the stairs, which was decorated with flower vases and a small fountain that functioned as a birdbath. No doubt there was much more down below, but Melinda was already sold on going down to explore it, and it seemed that Jeeves had already taken note of that. “Let’s go.” He said with a gentle smile. As they descended into the valley, Melinda marveled at how well-maintained it was.

          “It’s baffling how beautiful this place is. Have you been maintaining it?”

          “No.” he replied. “My duties at the estate take up far too much of my time. My father is still alive, so I’m sure he comes here often to maintain its beauty.”

Ah, so it was only known to Jeeves and his father, that made sense. Still, whoever his father was, he did a spectacular job; keeping the courtyard swept, the trees and bushes trimmed, the stone waterfall fountain clear of any filth. Not a single flower wilted. She also noticed that iron oil lamps were hung at each corner of the courtyard.

The atmosphere felt so peaceful, but she also caught a small wind of familiarity, as if she had been in a place just like this once before. It wasn’t the garden back at the Desmond Estate, but she couldn't remember actually going anywhere else.

          “Jeeves…I feel like I’ve been here before.”

Jeeves stood a short distance behind her, right next to the courtyard’s fountain. A bluebird swooped down and rested on its edge, and Jeeves smiled at the calmness of the animal, “Perhaps in a dream, Milady?” Melinda laughed softly, “Yes…but…I felt as if I were awake.” The bluebird next to Jeeves barely flinched when he softly ran his finger along its head. “The existence of this place is regarded as a legend to most people, but the concept of a hidden garden intrigues them, so it’s often told as a fairytale to children.”

Melinda gasped and immediately was thrown back to a memory of when she was young. Her mother and father always told her a story about a tunnel that was said to be a portal leading to another realm, and that there was a beautiful garden on the other side. The story followed an adventurous boy that found it completely by chance, and that he shared it with a princess that he fell in love with. It was a peaceful story with no lasting consequence, the main characters were never found out and they lived happily ever after. Melinda always fell asleep before the end anyway.

          “Yes. I remember hearing it.”

She felt Jeeves approach beside her, and heard him say, “And now you’re seeing it.” He gestured over to a wisteria tree that stood just by the lake, “Come, Milady. We should rest, and we’re free to remove our disguises now.”

Melinda honestly forgot she was wearing one. She removed the glasses from her face and took her hair out of the ponytail, and Jeeves, once they reached the wisteria tree, went down to the water and splashed his face a few times to wash the stubble makeup off. Unfortunately his sleeves got wet in the process, so he had to remove his coat and jacket afterward and hang them on one of the tree branches.

“It’s surprising…” said Melinda. “From what I can gather, only you and your father know of this place now, but how could anyone possibly hide a valley like this? Surely it’s visible from the sky?”

Jeeves nodded, “It is. But do you see how the top of the walls form inward?” He pointed up to the walls that surrounded the valley, and Melinda looked up towards the opening. It was smaller than she thought, the stone walls did seem to converge toward the center above them. The opening looked tiny down where she was, but up close, it was probably the size of the average backyard.

“Above us, there are large, strangely shaped rocks that make it difficult to make out the inner parts of the valley. It also helps that the rocks are so smooth that the sunlight reflects off of the surface, so if a plane or helicopter flies past, they wouldn’t be able to see anything past the rocks. It’s all about depth perception from there.”

          “What if someone climbs in from the top?”

          “Trust me, Milady.” He told her. “In all the years this place has been known to my family, it has never been invaded by outsiders.” He smiled and sat down a small distance apart from her. No doubt Father’s been warding off potential threats for years.

Over a time, he didn’t know how long, it seemed like the peaceful sounds of the valley soothed Melinda to the point of nearly falling asleep, as he expected they would. What he didn’t expect, however, was being lulled himself to the same position: lying flat on his back and just taking it all in. Maybe it was the fact that this place had no threats for him to stay on guard for, he knew that they were safe. Here, they didn’t need to keep up appearances to please everyone, they could just be themselves.

          “If only Demetrius could see all this.”

Jeeves immediately sat up at soon as he heard Melinda’s voice. He was too used to standing at attention, and spacing out wasn’t something his job allowed him to do, even though the reason they were here was so they could do just that. Jeeves sighed and turned to face Melinda, who was still lying on the grass. “I’d like it if he could see it too, Milady, but it's too much of a risk to bring him here. You understand, don’t you?” Melinda came out of her daydream and arose from the ground, bringing her arms around her knees. “I understand. I just…I miss my son.”

Every time she said that, Jeeves couldn’t help but feel immense pain for her, knowing that he could only do so much to help her. It was the same with Demetrius; Jeeves could only provide words of encouragement to them.

          “I know you do.” was all he could say.

The mood was becoming too gloomy, Melinda needed to bring up some happier topics. She lifted her face and put on a smile, “Oh, did I tell you? Clara Blackbell is pregnant.” It seemed that helped some, because Jeeves was happy at the news, and he said, “Is that so? Considering how spirited she and her husband are, I imagine they will throw a huge party to celebrate.”

          “Most likely.” Melinda replied with a giggle. “Now she will experience the wonderous anticipation that comes with being pregnant.” She really was excited that the Blackbells were expecting, but that just made her think of her son, and all the happiness for her friend was overshadowed. “The only difference, though…is that she will be able to actually care for her ch-…”

         “Don’t say that!”

Her heart jumped and she looked back at Jeeves. Until now, he’d never raised his voice like that, but she didn’t reprimand him for it.

He calmed himself down a little before continuing. “Milady, you shouldn’t lose hope. One day, you and your son will break free from Master Desmond. I don’t know when, but until that day comes, I promise you that I will do everything in my power to protect you and your son.”

Breaking free from that man was nothing but a pipe dream. It was something positive to think about, though. “If that day ever comes to pass," she began, "then you should leave with us. To be honest, you’re much more of a father to Demetrius than that man will ever be. Your words reassure him that he’s in my thoughts, and that he should stand tall in times of uncertainty…much like how you do with me.” Then she gently took his hands in hers, “You comfort us. You are more than a mere butler to me.”

Jeeves was deeply touched by her words. He figured that she saw him in a light different than the other house servants, but this felt like a declaration of love. He averted her gaze, “Even if I bring you comfort and look after your son in your stead, that doesn’t change the fact that I am still just a butler.” Melinda leaned down to meet his eyes once more. Now it seemed like she was the frustrated one.

         “Your rank is insignificant to me. It’s you that I value. Jeeves, I can tell you things that I can’t to others, I feel safe when I’m with you, and I feel lonely without you…I…I love you, Jeeves. From the bottom of my heart, I love you!”

Suddenly, tension filled the air, and silence fell between them. Jeeves stared at her, at a loss for words. Now that the truth behind her feelings was revealed, words failed him. To be more specific, he had a lot to say, but his throat kept closing up. Melinda pulled back slightly in fearing she made a mistake saying everything at once. “Do…do you not feel the same?” She asked quietly.

Several moments passed by as Jeeves wrestled with his thoughts. Say it, man! She confessed her love to you; you can’t respond with silence! There’s no reason to hesitate. Then with a deep breath, he gathered up the courage to say his piece.

          “I do. Ever since I began my duties as the Desmond Household butler, I’ve considered you the most beautiful woman in the world. Your eyes shine like diamonds, your smile brings joy to my heart like no other, and the love and compassion you hold for your son and others is admirable. That night we danced together; I felt a happiness I couldn’t describe.” He held her hands firmly, but also gently, and he looked at her with love in his eyes, “Milady, I’ve always loved you. But you are my master’s wife, so I’ve kept these thoughts to myself.”

          “But you know that he doesn’t love me.”

          “Yes. It pains me to watch him treat you horribly. But I can only do so much in my position.”

Sad as it was, it was true. Melinda had no choice but to patiently wait until a more permanent solution presented itself. Her eyes saddened, but her hold on Jeeves’s hand remained, gently adjusting it until their hands intertwined. “Then continue to support my son and me. We’ll get by.”

Jeeves couldn’t help but notice that she had gotten suspiciously closer to him over the duration of their conversation, now with their faces being mere inches apart from each other. His breathing had also become heavy, and his heart raced at an incredible rate.

          “Out there…I wouldn’t be allowed to hold you like this.” He whispered with a gentle tone. The distance between them diminished steadily, and as she raised his hands to her face, she softly responded, “We are no longer out there.” That brought a smile to his face, for she was right. At last their lips collided, and a joyous sense of relief washed over them. For so long, Melinda had been deprived of the romance she deserved, Jeeves had suppressed the passionate feelings he held for her, and finally the chance arrived, to freely express their undying love for one another.

 The valley’s light fell dim. It seemed that the sun was preparing to set, but although there was a set curfew for the servants back at the Estate, likewise a curfew Melinda set for herself, neither of them wanted to part ways with the valley just yet. If they left back for the city now, there’s no telling when their chance to return would be.

Melinda looked around at the beautiful forest glade that surrounded the valley, sadness gleaming in her eyes. “Jeeves…” She didn’t finish her sentence, because he already knew what she was going to say.

          “We can only stay for so long, Milady.” He told her. He was upset that they couldn’t stay either, but the Astors would be bringing Demetrius back home soon, and by then, he would need to complete the evening chores. Melinda needed to return to her home soon as well, because by now, the spies were more than likely suspecting that they had fled to the countryside.

          “I’m not ready to leave.” Melinda threw her arms around his neck and begged him for more time. “Please, can’t we spend just a few more moments here?”

It was hard to choose, because on one hand, he didn’t want to tip Master Desmond off more than he already had, but on the other, he really wanted more time with Melinda. Especially now that they finally were in a place away from any prying eyes and they finally admitted their feeling towards each other…they could wait at least a half hour longer. Having made up his mind, he pulled Melinda closer to him and sighed, shaking his head with a sly grin. “Thirty minutes, and then we have to leave.”

          “I accept those terms!” Melinda shouted with glee and tackled him to the ground, which surprised him, but also made him laugh.

Once again, they were face-to-face, resting on their sides and savoring each moment spent just looking into one another’s unique and ethereal eyes. Jeeves extended his hand and gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Despite only making contact with the upper part of her ear, it felt noticeably cold. “You feel cold, Milady.”

Melinda was obviously trying to hide it, but her shivering gave it away. “It’s probably because it’s getting late out there.” She said with a barely audible shiver.

          “Are you reconsidering your desire to stay?”

          “Nice try, Jeeves. I stand firm in my decision.”

Jeeves put on a fake pouty face and Melinda giggled at him. She put her hand behind his neck and a mischievous smirk appeared on her face, “You’re very warm. I think I’ll be just fine.” There was something about her tone that sounded different. He couldn’t remember a time he ever heard her use this tone of voice, and due to her bad experiences with Master Desmond, he was sure she never used it with him.

He, personally, had never been with a woman before, but what he’s heard from old acquaintances was that women had a special look when they were in a certain mood. He didn’t understand what that meant before, but now, seeing the look in Melinda’s eyes made it all too clear.

          “Milady?”

Realizing how she must have appeared, she turned her face away, for she was greatly ashamed. “Please forgive me, I didn’t mean to give that kind of impression. I accidentally entertained an intrusive thought.” Melinda chastised herself for having such thoughts. She loved Jeeves, of course, but this wasn’t something she could simply hide if they went through with it.

Her internal struggle was evident to him. Since she first confided her frustrations in him, he had become more attuned to her anxiety. He gently kissed her on the head and softly reassured her, “It is alright. I will not hold it against you.”

“You won’t?”

“Of course not.” He replied. “I can’t tell you what to do, but I will stand by you, whatever you choose.” Their time here was running short, and once they stepped back into reality, she would need to act as if all this never happened, and that alone saddened her. Melinda broke away from Jeeves’s hold and got onto her knees.

          “Jeeves…I don’t want you to think I’m being selfish in this. Tell me, what do you, as yourself, want?”

Jeeves was silent for a moment, considering carefully her words. He knew what his heart desired, but still, he was torn between his fervent love for her and his oath to her husband as a servant. Of all the personal feelings battling for dominance, his honesty had prevailed over the rest.

He stood up from the ground and offered his hand to her, saying, “What I want is to see you happy. As long as there’s a genuine smile on your face, I will share in your mirth, Milady.” Just as he said, that genuine smile showed itself, and she accepted his hand, rising to her feet.

          “That’s quite the silver tongue you have.”

          “Thank you, I polish it every day.”

As the sun slowly moved downward on the horizon, Jeeves handled Melinda with the utmost care, placing gentle, sweet kisses along the side of her neck. He made absolutely certain that he didn’t hurt her, holding her as if she were the most delicate thing in the world. Indeed, his touch was nothing like her husband’s, which had been strong and possessive; but while Jeeves was strong, he touched her with the same gentleness as he would a flower, and Melinda was grateful to him. The whole experience was pure bliss for the both of them, but alas, the vanishing daylight marked its conclusion. Their time to leave had come.

The walk back from the valley was long, but uneventful, and just in case they were spotted again, they had put their disguises back on. Thankfully Jeeves was able to escort Melinda back to her residence safely, and no spies were spotted anywhere around her house. Melinda unlocked the door to her house, but before she went inside, she turned to bid Jeeves goodnight.

          “Thank you for today, Jeeves.” She said quietly.

          “You’re welcome. Sleep well, Milady.” He replied.

Melinda smiled. She was still a little disappointed that this wonderful day had to end so quickly, but she was also thankful to just have been able to spend the entire day with him. She leaned in and kissed his lips once more. “Goodnight Jeeves. I love you.”

          “I love you too. Goodnight.”

Jeeves entered the estate through one of the secret entrances that led into the back corner of the kitchen, it was right next to the meat locker. The room smelled of salmon and spices, indicating that dinner had already been served and all the dishes had been cleaned. He sighed in relief and headed back through the empty living room. The mansion was eerily quiet. Normally at this hour there would be at least a maid roaming around…but there was no one.

Just as he stepped out into the foyer, John stepped out from behind the staircase and yanked Jeeves over to him. He caught Jeeves by surprise, which was a little unusual, but that apparently wasn’t what John was concerned about. The man looked very much unnerved, almost panicked.

          “Where have you been!?” John exclaimed in a whisper. “You were only supposed to give her an update! But you’ve been gone the whole day!”

Jeeves grabbed John by the shoulders and attempted to calm him. “Calm down, John. I did give her the update, but Master Demmy also requested that I take her to lunch, and we were also being pursued, so we had to lay low for a while.”

          “For 5 hours!?”

“We can save that discussion for later. What happened? You sound and look frightened.”

John took a deep breath and lowered his voice, “I’m sorry. Ever since Master Desmond’s guest arrived here, I’ve been on edge, as well as a few others in the household staff. He is far too suspicious to be just a normal guest.”

So this mysterious guest was making everyone in the staff uneasy? Even the well-seasoned security guards? How ridiculous. If the security guards suspected someone of being a threat, then they wouldn’t have even allowed him onto the property, much less in the house. Besides, what he gathered from this morning’s breakfast was that Master Desmond was already acquainted with the guest, so he must trust this person enough to invite him over. But until he’s seen the guest personally, he would withhold judgement. He told John to keep his guard up as long as the guest is in the house, then he went to see to the evening chores.

Not too long after Jeeves got back, the Astors came by to return Demetrius home, and it seemed like they gave him another book to read. He was sad to see them go, but he gave them both a really tight hug before they did.

Demetrius entered through the doors and instantly picked up on the noticeably different atmosphere. At this point, he’d been to a vacation home and his grandparents’ home, and the both of them had a more welcoming atmosphere. Of course, home has always felt rather gloomy, but something felt different…

          “Welcome home, Master Demmy.”

Jeeves came back into the foyer to welcome him back, and seeing him lightened the mood. The young man smiled and returned the greeting, “Good evening, Jeeves. Guess what? Grandfather gave me some tips on how to earn more Stellas! Perfect grades aren’t the only way!” Jeeves chuckled, “That’s fantastic, Master Demmy. You make us all very proud.”

          “Thanks, Jeeves! Well, I’m going to my room, see you tomorrow!” Then Demetrius turned to head up the stairs, but stopped at the third step. There at the top stood his father, Donovan, looking down at him with a blank expression. He wasn’t alone, either. Beside him was a tall dark-haired man in a white shirt and black tie and pants of the same color, and the most notable detail of his appearance were the round, silver glasses on his face. Demetrius thought he looked like a professor or some kind of scientist.

There was a short silence between them, but soon Donovan began to descend the stairs towards his son as the strange man followed behind him. “Welcome home, Demetrius. Did you get a lot done?” Demetrius blinked, still focused on the strange man. He didn’t look all that threatening, but something about him gave him chills.

          “Y-yes, father. I was able to learn a bit more history, and I also learned a couple more tips on how to faster earn Stellas. If it all goes well, I should be an Imperial Scholar by the start of next month.”

          “Good.” Donovan replied. “You may return to your room and rest. I’ll send someone to bring you tea before bed.”

His father was being strangely polite. It wouldn’t be that big of a deal to Demetrius if this hadn’t been the first time he’s offered to give him anything...but it was. This was too weird, so Demetrius just hurried up the stairs, not even asking him who the strange man was.

Seeing that the guest was curious about the boy’s behavior, Donovan quietly informed him that Demetrius had just gotten home from his mother’s parents’ house, and that he was likely surprised by him. The man accepted the explanation and the two stepped down to the foyer’s floor. Jeeves wanted to ask who the guest was, but he really shouldn’t speak unless he was spoken to.

Donovan noticed his butler’s hesitation and addressed it. “Jeeves, this man is Dr. Hapoon. He will be a guest here at the estate for an extended period. During his stay, ensure he is treated respectfully and that any assistance he requires is provided.” Jeeves bowed and responded, “Yes, Master Desmond. May I inquire about the nature of his stay?”

         "I need him here so we can better discuss the details of a particular project. It’s nothing to trouble yourself over.” Translated that means, " It’s none of your business."

Jeeves agreed to not press further and went his way, but now that he’s seen the man, he understood what John meant. It was obvious, this Hapoon character screamed ill intent. He looked over his shoulder at the backs of Master Desmond and Dr. Hapoon.

         I should keep a watchful eye on him for a while. John was right, he’s no ordinary guest. If this man poses any threat to Master Demetrius, there will be nowhere he can hide where I won’t eventually find him.

Chapter Text

The morning sun shone its rays on the city of Berlint, with some people already awake and commuting to work, school, or a breakfast outing. The rays of light were basically a wake-up call for little Demetrius Desmond, because his bedroom window was right across from his bed, curtains already open. So the second the light touched his face, his eyes snapped open.

Demetrius had awakened with a little less enthusiasm than usual, because the night before, he had a bad dream about that mysterious man that his father had been speaking to. The dream was nothing but terror-inducing, running away from the man through long, dark hallways, only for him to get closer with every second, the dread of no escape weighing down on him the more he ran. He was relieved that the dream ended before the man caught him, but no nightmare he may have had before compared to this one.

He shook the unsettling images from his mind and slid out of bed and headed to the bathroom. The cool tile floor felt nice and grounded him to reality, but the warm lights and the pristine surface of the floor and sink did little to alleviate the anxiety he’d felt in the terrifying realm of his nightmare. He turned on the faucet and took a deep breath, which turned into a yawn. With a sleepy sigh, Demetrius splashed cold water on his face, gently reassuring himself as he dried off. “It’s fine…It was just a dream. Nothing’s going to happen, it’s not like that creep is moving in with us.” Once he woke himself up and got dressed for school, he hurried downstairs for breakfast. But when he saw who was at the table with his father, he froze.

“Good morning, Demetrius.” Greeted his father, turning away from the guest, his expression unsettlingly soft as he gestured to the empty seat to his left. “Come, join us.

The boy hesitated. His seat was right across from that man!  Demetrius didn’t want to keep his father waiting, but his feet were rooted to the floor, he was too afraid to get any closer. This didn’t go unnoticed by the guest, though. He knowingly smirked and seemed to change the subject, and he turned his gaze from Demetrius to what was directly across from him, “Your household staff are incredibly attentive. They stand ready to assist with anything.” Demetrius followed his eyes and noticed that the man was looking over at Jeeves.

Jeeves had his eyes locked on Desmond’s guest, as if the man was a predatorial beast ready to pounce, and he was prepared to step in and subdue him if necessary. Knowing that he was in the room brought Demetrius a small bit of relief, but he still wasn’t going to sit near the creepy man, so he opted to sit in his mother’s former seat, which was at the opposite end of the table. He wondered if his father would be upset at him for choosing to sit away from him, but he didn’t seem to care. He just got on to introducing the man. “I noticed that you weren’t properly introduced to our guest the other evening.” He gestured toward the guest, “This man is Dr. Hapoon, an accomplished scientist, and he’s going to be staying with us for the foreseeable future.” Demetrius nodded a greeting to Dr. Hapoon, but didn’t give a proper greeting. He sighed as he drank his orange juice. Looks like the creep is moving in with us. “How long is he staying here?” He asked. His father answered, “By the looks of it, the rest of the school year.”

                “The rest of the year? Because of that project you’re overseeing?”

                “Yes.” His father answered.

“Is that why you said I couldn’t invite Co-…my friend over?”

“Yes.”

His father was obviously avoiding the finer details of this secret project, but now that he knew that Dr. Hapoon was a scientist, Demetrius had a pretty good idea of what it might be. That book he read at his grandparents’ house mentioned experiments being performed on prisoners of war. The first war ended a while ago, and nowadays the fighting was at a standstill, so the scientists probably shifted their focus to experimenting on animals. It was par-for-the-course for scientists. Nonetheless, Demetrius wasn’t going to concern himself with the project, at least not right now. His primary concern was becoming an Imperial Scholar.

As usual, Jeeves was the one to drive Demetrius to school, but unlike the other chauffeurs, he often allowed Demetrius to ride in the front seat, but only when it was just them in the car. Jeeves noticed that the young master was looking rather anxious today, and he was sure it was because of Hapoon. All throughout breakfast he stared daggers at him, sending the silent message that if he tried anything, he would ensure that he was removed from the Desmonds’ presence.

The school’s elementary drop-off area was crowded with luxury cars, average cars and school buses. Parents and attendants dropped off the children just by the gate, and this made driving in and out a bit of a challenge, but to make it easier on him, Demetrius just told Jeeves to drop him off just outside the gate, since the walk from there to the doors wouldn’t be so difficult. “You don’t need to get out to open the door for me either. I got it.” Demetrius told him. Jeeves wasn’t sure whether to feel disappointed or proud, because on one hand, he loved seeing Demetrius be more independent, but on the other, he also kind of enjoyed doing the small things for him. Well, he could at least wish him a good day at school, so he rolled down the window and called to Demetrius as he shut the car door.

                “Have a good day at school, Master Demmy.”

                “I will! Thanks for the ride, Jeeves!” Demetrius replied.

Each time he dropped Demetrius off at school, Jeeves always felt a profound gladness for him, and each time his desire to see the boy excel in his studies increased, as well as his desire to see him enjoy his childhood with other kids. Here at Eden, that energetic and curious little boy thrived, and very soon, he hoped it’s here that same boy would reunite with his mother.

Demetrius ran closer to the doors where his friend, Cordelia, was walking. As soon as she noticed his presence, she smiled brightly and greeted him, “Good morning, Demetrius!” Today she wore her hair in a ponytail, decorated with a white ribbon tied into a bow above it. More often than not, she greeted everyone with a smile, being polite and warm-hearted toward her teachers and classmates. Demetrius found her charming because of this, much like how he found his mother charming.

He was also glad that his locker was right next to hers…because she’d make him feel a little less shy when other kids stared at him in admiration. Cordelia giggled, even as everyone stared, “I guess having as many Stellas as you do makes you pretty popular, especially so early in the school year.”

                “But you’ve got a lot of Stellas too, Cordelia.” He replied, “You’re one Stella behind me.”

Cordelia shrugged, “That just means we have a chance to become an Imperial Scholar at the same time! It all depends on how fast we can earn the last few stars we need. When that happens, we can finally see what the Imperial Scholar Dining Hall looks like!” Demetrius took his first-period books out of his locker, “Is that all we get to do?”

                “No.” she replied. “As Imperial Scholars, we’ll get to have tea out in the courtyard, I think we’ll get to have a private dorm room, I’m not sure, but my dad said he had one. One thing I know for sure, though, is that we’ll get access to a huge exclusive party!”

A party? Demetrius wasn’t ever told that there would be a party for Imperial Scholars. “What goes on at the party? Is it to congratulate Imperial Scholars?” Cordelia gave another shrug. Obviously she hadn’t gone herself, so it was likely that whatever she knew was told to her by her father, a former Imperial Scholar. “I hear that a bunch of celebrities and other important people go to the party to mingle with each other. I haven’t gone before, obviously, but my dad told me that when Imperial Scholars go, they’re accompanied by their parents.”

                “Really!? The parents get to go!?” Demetrius went from 0 to 100 with that small scrap of information. If that’s true, then that means that Mother will be there, that’s my best chance to see her again! “Cordelia, how long until the next Imperial Scholar gathering?”

His reaction surprised Cordelia a bit, but she couldn’t really blame him. “There’s only one month left, but that’s enough time to earn the stars we need before then. Since our next big quiz isn’t until the end of the week, we can boost our chances by participating in community service.” Demetrius was already sold on the idea. He was fully determined to become an Imperial Scholar before the party. But there was a problem. He needed to make sure that his father wouldn’t find out about him using the community service method. “Cordelia…about my father…”

                “Say no more!” She exclaimed, “I’ll take care of that!” Then she held up her hand for a high-five and Demetrius happily gave her one. “Let’s do it!” They were laughing until the bell rang, spurring them to rush to class.

Jeeves had gone back to the estate to begin his morning chores, which included polishing the wood floors, dusting the sunroom, and going out into the garden to make sure that the grass and hedges were trimmed before any potential snowfall. Berlint wasn’t usually snowy in the winter, but because of the very rare times it was, Jeeves learned to just prepare for it. As he passed through, he took time to admire the reddish-orange hues some of the trees had now. Every day he and some other staff members would venture out here to rake up the leaves that dropped to the ground, just to keep the yard tidy. He sometimes wondered what the garden his father spoke about was like.

                If I’d chosen the same career as he did, I would have gotten to see it. But I don’t regret my choice. He purges the threats to the country, while I take care of the ones that threaten the Desmond Family.

He glanced over his shoulder and his eyes fell on the window of Master Desmond’s study. Even from down below, he could see the figures of him and Hapoon. Earlier that morning during the servants’ breakfast, John elaborated more on what was going on between Dr. Hapoon and Master Desmond. He said that Master Desmond is in charge of a top-secret experimentation project, and apparently they’ve been using all sorts of animals, and Dr. Hapoon is the lead scientist. Other than those small scraps of information, Jeeves knew nothing else. He turned his gaze back to the garden, and he continued to observe the plants and décor for any other impurities. There were none. The only “impurity” he was concerned about was inside the house, talking with Master Desmond.

Jeeves was no spy, but he found a chore to do that would require him passing by the door to Master Desmond’s study: straightening out the portraits that hung in that specific hall. With each one he straightened, he performed the task as slowly and meticulously as he could manage, so that he wouldn’t be noticed, and so that he could hear even the quietest of whispers. Through the door, he heard Dr. Hapoon speak, and he didn’t sound too happy.

                “-I wish I had more welcome news on that front. Project: Apple is showing very little signs of progress. All the lab animals haven’t shown any significant change. The only change we have seen is that the animals are eating less and less.”

Master Desmond’s reply was a sigh of disappointment, and his tone was dry and flat. “Regardless, tell your scientists to keep monitoring them. Keep searching for new methods to enhance their intelligence. Animals can be very useful in this war.” Dr. Hapoon, although he sounded certain that this project wasn’t going anywhere, he agreed to tell his team to keep it going. Jeeves wondered if that was the end of the conversation, but it wasn’t. Master Desmond inhaled deeply and said, “If the animals continue to show no progress, then I’m giving you the authorization to use human test subjects.”

Jeeves froze. Human test subjects? If he didn’t know better, he would have just thought he wasn’t being serious, but Donovan Desmond almost never joked around. But where would they get test subjects without the project reaching the public? Dr. Hapoon inquired about just that, but Master Desmond interrupted him mid-sentence, “Start out with one. I want you to observe while you’re here. Observe me and how I interact with others. Once Demetrius’s classes are over for the summer, I want you to escort me to the lab where the experiments are currently going on and perform those experiments on me.”

                “What about your wife and son?”

                “My son, we’ll worry about later. As for my wife, she’ll be far too busy with her lady group and fooling around with Jeeves to notice.”

Jeeves found himself staring off into space. He was more shocked by Master Desmond volunteering to be the first human subject than he was about the remark about him and Melinda going behind his back. Jeeves didn’t need to hear any more, that conversation gave him all the information he needed to know. Master Desmond was working with Dr. Hapoon, and based on what he said: “My son, we’ll worry about later”, there was a very high possibility that the project could affect Demetrius. Jeeves made a vow to Melinda to do everything within his power to protect her and her son, and had every intention to follow through with that vow.

Jeeves moved through the Desmond estate with his usual precision, polishing silverware, adjusting curtains, and ensuring every surface gleamed under the morning light. To the other staff, he appeared as composed and methodical as ever, his posture straight and his expression unreadable. But beneath his calm expression, his mind raced, the whole conversation he overheard repeated itself over and over again. Human test subjects…observe me…Jeeves was approached by the young maid, Nina, but all he could manage to do was give her a nod of acknowledgement. He didn’t even respond when John quipped about Hapoon’s sour expression from earlier that morning. Jeeves tried to distract himself by polishing the silverware, adjusting curtains that didn’t even need adjusting, and folded the napkins on the dining table. He couldn’t say anything to anyone, because telling the wrong person about Project: Apple could cause rumors to spread like wildfire, and he’s already ventured too close to the flames. I must be vigilant; protect Demetrius from this “Project: Apple” they spoke of. Protect him. Protect Melinda. Protect…

That one word repeated itself over and over in his mind, and the words of Master Desmond and Dr. Hapoon’s conversation only served to stress him out. He couldn’t allow his anxiety to control his actions, he needed to take a breath and set that information to the side for now. He tried to think of Melinda and how eager she must be waiting for the day Demetrius earns his Imperial Scholar title, and picturing her joyous smile, hearing her triumphant laughter already. For now at least, it was enough to steady his trembling hands.

                That’s right. Calm down, Jeeves. The moment Demetrius becomes an Imperial Scholar, it will be that much easier to shield him from Master Desmond’s schemes.

A smile flashed on his face as relief washed over his heart, and he softly smoothed the final crease of the last napkin.

The hours passed swiftly. When Master Desmond and Dr. Hapoon sat at the table for their lunch, Jeeves wished he could tune out their conversation, but with these two men colluding with one another, every little detail was worth noting. Should any more details of their plans for Demetrius be mentioned, Jeeves would commit them to memory. If there is any threat to him, Melinda had to be warned. Yet there was nothing in their conversation that hinted at Demetrius at all. Jeeves didn’t know what to make of this; was there really nothing, or were they just masking their words? Both men are aware that there are staff members around, so it’s possible that they’re being careful of what they say at the table. So now what? Should I be grateful that they aren’t mentioning him? Or should I strain for more details?

As a child, there was a lesson that his father drilled into him every day, and he remembered it well: “In the world we live in, secrets are abundant, and people almost never say what they mean. Hone your focus, listen to every word. The most dangerous words are the ones that sound innocent.

Jeeves shut his eyes, focusing his hearing, but even still, he only was able to make out a few things.

                “Mr. Desmond,” Hapoon began, “I’ve noticed that your fruit trees are wilting this season.”

                “It isn’t the proper season for fruit.” Master Desmond replied. “But I wouldn’t worry. By the time the winter months are through, they will bear more fruit.”

                “And your daisies, they will fail this season as well, won’t they?”

                “Yes. But I plan on replacing those with some lovely daffodils.”

A cold wave swept over Jeeves. This was no ordinary conversation about the garden—he didn’t fully understand what they meant just yet, but he resolved to spend the rest of the day deciphering the meaning of those words.

For a couple more hours, the coded words weighed on Jeeves’s mind, even as he waited in outside Eden College for Demetrius in the driver seat of the idling limousine. He repeated every word of the conversation in his mind, trying to find why they chose those terms, trying to figure out what the implications were.

The sound of the school doors swinging open momentarily took him out of his wonderings. Young students exited the building chattering excitedly with one another, some even laughing and running toward their rides home. Jeeves observed the crowd of children for the young master, but he didn't need to look for long, because Demetrius came bolting through the crowd with glee written all over his expression, and sprinting right beside him was the Roth girl. Cordelia, if he remembered correctly. Why was she following Demetrius to the car?

Demetrius opened up the door himself and allowed Cordelia to hop in first, and when she was all the way in, he jumped into the car too, happily bouncing even as he pulled the door shut. The children’s laughter filled the backseat of the car. If there was a joke here, Jeeves was not let in on it. Cordelia squealed excitedly and shook Demetrius’s shoulders, “Demmy, you’re a genius!” Demetrius, obviously proud of whatever he thought of, balled his hands into fists and looked at her with fiery determination in his eyes, “There’s no way this won’t work! I considered all the variables and they’re bound to be impressed!” Jeeves had a feeling that the kids weren’t just planning a regular playdate or study session. He decided to check before driving off.  “Master Demmy, pardon my asking, but why is Miss Roth in the car?” he asked.

                “Because we have really important plans for today!” Demetrius replied with a wide and bright smile. “Jeeves, can you take us straight to the nearest department store? We need some extra clothes!”

Putting her seatbelt on, Cordelia giggled, barely able to contain her excitement. “Yeah! Something we won’t mind getting dirty!” Although Jeeves was puzzled by their behavior, he shrugged it off and followed his orders. Although, he’d be lying if he said that seeing Demetrius like this didn’t warm his heart.

The department store was busy, but neither Demetrius nor Cordelia really cared. Right now, they were just two little kids excited to get started on their new project. Jeeves helped the kids pick out their new clothes; —simple denim overalls, plain white T-shirts, and sturdy boots. Demetrius seemed to know exactly what they needed, even though he’d never done anything like this before. It was like he already understood what kind of clothes would be best for work that might get messy.

Once Jeeves used the money Cordelia had provided for the both of them to check out the clothes, they piled back in the car. Demetrius took the lead, giving Jeeves very specific directions to where they wanted to go. With every turn, Jeeves began to notice that they were heading toward East Berlint, which was one of the lower-class neighborhoods. Strange…what exactly are these two up to? he thought.

They drove until they came to an area that was almost desolate. All around it looked like the city was preparing to demolish the surrounding houses and apartments. It was sad to see a once-lively neighborhood in such a state; windows boarded up, yards that have barely been touched, and fences falling apart. But the war affected much, even the cost of homes, so it made sense why some people couldn’t live here anymore. Jeeves didn’t ask any other questions; he just drove down the street like Demetrius told him to.

“Right here, Jeeves!” called Demetrius.

Jeeves slowed the car to a stop and put it into park, then he looked out the window. It was a semi-tall building with a wide yard and small, rusty bronze gates. A sign was just before the gates and it read, “Hope Haven” below that was a slogan in faded text, “An orphaned child’s only salvation is a happy home. ADOPT TODAY!”

The sight of the dreadful state of the orphanage tugged at Jeeves’s heartstrings, but still, he wondered what Demetrius and Cordelia had planned. He looked over his shoulder back at them to ask what their plan was, but stopped short. They looked out the window at the building with sorrowful expressions. Cordelia looked like she was on the brink of tears, and Demetrius stared in stunned silence, his face pale, his features twisted in a mix of heartbreak and horror. Seeing an orphanage, a place meant to give hope, in such disarray must have confused him greatly.

Jeeves took a deep breath and spoke up, breaking the silence in the car, “Master Demmy, are you certain you want to be here? It appears that no one lives here anymore.” But Demetrius snapped out of his initial shock and turned to Jeeves, “Yes. I…Cordelia and I used one of the school’s phones to call this place, and a lady picked up. We asked if the orphanage was still in business, and she said it was, but business is slow because of the low income. She said the kids there didn’t have anywhere else to go, so she’s been trying to apply for a loan so the kids could get through the winter.”

                “And what did you say to that?”

Cordelia blinked away tears and she said, “I took the phone and told her that we’d like to come by and help out as much as we can….I didn’t know what to expect, so I just called my dad and had him order as many construction tools we’d need for building repairs.” Jeeves’s expression softened, and then he smiled. “Well…let’s go up and introduce ourselves, then.”

Jeeves led them past the gates and up to the door. It felt so strange for both children, standing at the door of an orphanage like this, but they grew up with silver spoons, so it was only natural that they would feel a little out of place here. Jeeves looked down at the kids, giving them another moment to prepare themselves. Even though they were still a little nervous, it was clear they were determined, so Jeeves gave the doorbell a push. It seemed that even the doorbell needed an update.

The door opened to reveal a middle-aged lady who looked both exhausted and relieved. Her eyes landed on Jeeves first, then dropped to Demetrius and Cordelia, who smiled up at her with hopeful faces. She blinked, surprised—she’d expected children to visit, but not ones from such prominent families.

“You two are…the ones who called, yes?” she asked, still astonished.

Demetrius and Cordelia nodded. Cordelia giggled, “We want to help you out. You don’t need to apply for any more loans.”

The lady, at a loss for words, glanced at Jeeves.

“How?”

“I’m as much in the dark as you are, ma’am.” Jeeves replied.

Cordelia’s grin widened. She pulled a walkie-talkie from her bag and spoke into it, “Alright boys, bring ’em in!” Right on cue, a box truck pulled up around the corner. Three men in uniforms hopped out, unloading ladders, paint buckets, caulking, boxes of power tools, tarps, and more supplies from the back.

The director was stunned by the sudden arrival of so many repair materials—she never expected first-year students to bring all this. From the windows above, curious and excited orphaned children watched, chattering about what this could mean for them.

With the men from the truck helping when they were needed as well as Jeeves keeping an eye on them, Demetrius and Cordelia got to work. The children would peek into whatever room they were working on and thought it was so cool seeing kids their age repairing the orphanage. The director looked from Demetrius and Cordelia to Jeeves and gave a nervous smile, “Um…Let me say, sir, that we are truly grateful for all this help, but…if you’ll pardon the question, why is the Desmond heir of all people helping us?” Jeeves gave a polite bow and replied, “Master Demetrius is simply following the example of compassion and responsibility that Eden College encourages in all of its students. He wished to help where help was needed most.”

             “Well, he certainly follows that example well.” The director smiled, watching Demetrius and Cordelia work in tandem to patch and paint the walls with little assistance from the hired men. The determination and focus they showed was incredible for children so small, admirable even. “It’s rare to see children who are willing to roll up their sleeves for others’ sake. That kind of heart…it usually starts at home. I commend the one nurturing him, they’re doing a fine job.” Having that said, she moved downstairs, leaving Jeeves in the hallway.

His lips upturned into a warm smile, and he glanced through the doorway, seeing Demetrius smoothly run a paintbrush along the edges of the windows, his hold steady on the handle and his eyes completely focused on keeping the trim smooth. The director was right; Demetrius’s kind heart was made at home. One day with a mother he barely knew, and he returned with her love imprinted on his heart.

Jeeves bowed his head and sighed breathlessly. The kind of love you gave him, Milady…will never be erased, no matter what Master Desmond may say to him.

But even in that knowledge, the words from that afternoon’s conversation echoed in his mind. Those troubling words: Bearing more fruit when winter is through, the daisies, replacing them with daffodils. The mere idea that they might refer to little Demetrius turned his stomach. He needed to be prepared for whatever spring and summer might bring, be prepared to shield Demetrius from the approaching darkness.

Despite the unease simmering beneath the surface, the day pressed on. By the late afternoon, Demetrius and Cordelia managed to transform the orphanage’s entire second floor from a lifeless and decaying shell, to a warm and comforting space; walls painted blue, decorated with images of clouds and hills for the younger orphans, and an incredible landscape with depictions of children with new families, much of those depictions were drawn by Demetrius himself, inspired by the topiaries he saw at his grandparents’ residence. He wanted these images to give these children hope that their prayers to be adopted into a loving family would someday be answered. The walls hadn’t been the only repairs done, Cordelia had the men from the supply van lay down brand new carpeting for the entire first floor, and she even helped Demetrius put together a wide bookshelf, as well as giving the many beds fresh blankets and pillows. And these changes thrilled the children, exploring their new room with abundant joy, checking out their new bedding, rolling around on the new carpet like they’d never felt anything so soft. Demetrius paused by the open, sunlit window, taking in the results of their work, looking on at the happy children with a quiet sense of accomplishment. Even with the cold breeze sweeping the room, the atmosphere in this place felt infinitely warmer than when he stepped through its doors.

            “Psst! Demmy!”

Up ahead at the doorway, Cordelia peeked around the corner and was waving him over, so Demetrius left the window and crossed the room to see what she wanted. Out in the hallway, Jeeves was there, standing beside her. Cordelia gestured to him and said, “Jeeves said he wanted to talk to us. Is…it ok if he speaks freely? I’m not sure how things are at your-”

            “It’s fine.” said Demetrius, turning to Jeeves. “What is it?”
Jeeves gave a thoughtful smile and spoke quietly, “You both should take a break from the repair work and allow the adults continue with the repairs. In the meantime…” he turned to look at the children still enjoying their new room, his eyes softening. “The children here are in need of proper academic tutoring. With how much studying you’ve done thus far, you should share your knowledge with them, to prepare them for whatever their academic future might bring.” Welcoming the suggestion, Demetrius and Cordelia dashed off to retrieve their school bags. They had a couple of notebooks and a textbook for homework today—why not do it alongside other children, teaching while learning at the same time? It was a great way to take a break from all the hands-on work.

As the children ran toward the front door, Jeeves gave a little whistle, catching their attention. With a smirk, Jeeves handed Demetrius the key to the car. Demetrius was surprised at the gesture, but Jeeves assured him that this was only so he could unlock the door, and joked that he wasn’t giving him the key to drive. They giggled and hurried out the door, and Jeeves’s smile melted into a warm, gentle expression, and he couldn’t quite explain the gentle wave of pride that washed over his heart. Perhaps it was because, until now, everything had been done for the boy, so to see little Demetrius act so independently was a welcome change. When Demetrius and Cordelia came back in with their school bags, he gave the key back to Jeeves, “Thanks, Jeeves!” he said with a smile. “Cordelia and I will be in the sunroom with the other kids.” Without further elaboration, they ran off into the next room.

            “Mister Jeeves?”

Jeeves turned just as the orphanage director approached him from the dining hall. “If it’s not too much trouble, would you like to help prepare supper as Mister Demetrius and Miss Cordelia tutor the other children, and the three gentlemen continue with the renovations?” Jeeves smiled politely and replied, “It would be my pleasure, Miss.”

With Jeeves’s participation, preparing supper, even with the limited food the orphanage had in stock, ended with fruitful results. With what he could find, and through his precise cooking skills, he managed to create a full meal of goulash, baked potatoes, and well-seasoned brussels sprouts. The aroma was so alluring that it reached every corner of the first floor. The children in the sunroom were torn away from their studies, and the 3 gentlemen working in the nursery caught a whiff of the food as well, and although it wasn’t quite suppertime yet, all their stomachs growled in anticipation. Demetrius was especially excited, because he’s had Jeeves’s cooking once before, when he had stepped in for the household chef who had fallen ill one day. The orphanage children were surprised, though, because they didn’t know they even had anything that could smell that good. Ever since coming here, all they were able to have were eggs, basic sandwiches, tomato soup, and on very rare occasions they were able to get a good supply of beef.

One of the kids, a young girl, put down her pencil and paper and turned to look at the open door across the room. “Mmm! That smells good!” Demetrius nodded and set down his pencil and pushed himself up to a kneel, “Yeah, Jeeves must be helping with dinner." The girl's big, jade eyes sparkled and her hands flew to her head in overexaggerated surprise, “He’s THAT good of a cook!?”

Back in the kitchen, Jeeves put the top over the ceramic cooking pot and cleaned his hands in the sink. “There now. Director, could you set the timer for 7 minutes? The goulash can simmer as we set the table.” The director did as instructed as Jeeves dried his hands on his handkerchief and entered the dining room. There wasn’t much décor, just a single white, unlit candle sitting on an old silver tray as the centerpiece of a long wooden table that was made to seat at least 25. There weren’t that many children currently staying at the orphanage; when he first arrived, he’d counted at least 13, so the adults could sit at one end of the table, and the thirteen children and Demetrius and Cordelia could fill the other seats.

Unfortunately, Jeeves didn’t have a replacement for a tablecloth on hand, but perhaps the centerpiece could be improved. He remembered seeing a flower vase with a small collection of flowers in the lobby when he first walked in, they would do nicely. But as he went to get the vase, he noticed the kind of flowers in the collection: snowdrops, white tulips, daisies, and daffodils. A beautiful arrangement, but…these specific flowers… Jeeves’s eyes narrowed. The flowers were fake, but they appeared so real. As he set them in the center of the dining table, that feeling of dread from earlier that day returned.

            “Miss?” He said, turning toward the director, who was standing by the kitchen’s window. “If I may, why did you choose this arrangement of flowers? They’re very eye-catching.”

The director breathed out a hopeful sigh, and her eyelids lowered in reminiscence as she looked at the flowers. “Those? Oh, I felt that they would serve as a hopeful reminder to the children in my care that they are not destined to stay in this place forever. The daffodils symbolize new beginnings and hope, which is what I wish for them all. The addition of the daisies were my way of reminding myself that I have a duty to protect their innocence, and that’s one of the things that daisies symbolize: innocence. The snowdrops and white tulips were chosen for similar reasons. On the surface, I suppose I also liked the way these flowers, however fake they may be, brought a bit of light into this dreary place.”
Jeeves gave a thoughtful nod, the coded conversation between Master Desmond and Dr. Hapoon returning to the forefront of his mind. No snowdrops or white tulips were mentioned, but specifically daisies and daffodils. As Jeeves set the table for the meal, he went over everything he’d heard so far.

            “First, Hapoon mentioned ‘fruit trees’, Master Desmond said that it’s ‘not the proper season for fruit’. That could be referring to the results of Project: Apple, and that they are waiting for the school year to end, hence why Master Desmond said, ‘winter months’. But what does this have to do with Demetrius?”

Jeeves’s brows furrowed as he took the bowls from the cupboard and set them in front of each chair. Master Desmond’s voice echoed in his head, “My son, we’ll worry about later.” Then Dr. Hapoon’s voice came through next, “Your daisies, they will fail this season as well, won’t they?”

“And then, right after that, Master Desmond mentioned replacing the daisies with daffodils…“Innocence” failing, replaced with “new beginnings”…“By the time the winter months are through”, “more fruit”?, “My son, we’ll worry about later.”…Project: Apple…”

The unease grew with every word of that conversation as it replayed over and over again in his mind. There was no doubt in his mind that they had something terrible planned for Demetrius, and the options to put distance between him and Master Desmond were few. Jeeves stared at the set table in silence, the soft rays of the fading sunlight shined through the clear bow windows and gleamed in his eyes. From the sunroom, the distant sound of Demetrius’s voice, sharing with the children math equations and their solutions sounded almost like white noise to him now. With downcast eyes and a swift movement of his hands, he replaced the candle with the flowers. Supper was ready to begin.

Ring-a-ling-a-ling!

"Children, Supper!" the director called.

The children ran down the hall, eager to see the meal that Jeeves and the director cooked for them, but they stopped just before the dining room, taking in the sight set before them: The table, normally set with little food and tasteless drinks, now had the appearance of a royal banquet. While this was but a fraction of what was considered a normal meal for Demetrius and Cordelia, it was more than anything the children of Hope Haven ever prayed for.

Jeeves, standing at the far end of the table. beamed at them, sensing their overwhelming joy. He turned to Demetrius and Cordelia and said, "I hope that this meal is to your liking. Master Demetrius and Miss Roth." The pair nodded in approval. and the director gestured for the children to all take their seats, while Jeeves entered the next room to inform the 3 worker men that supper is ready and that they're allowed to rest and partake with them.

The meal was absolutely delectable, and everyone ate their Portions with gusto. The director, herself, was overjoyed to finally see the kids eat a proper meal. But she seemed a bit bothered by something. Jeeves asked her. "Is something wrong. Miss Director" The director set her cutlery down and looked up from her nearly- cleared plate. "I have no doubt that Sir Demetrius and Miss Cordelia genuinely care, but something about their eagerness makes me wonder if there's another reason as to why they're helping us." Jeeves nodded, he knew this issue would be brought up eventually, and thus had prepared an answer.

          "There is another reason. Eden College has an honors program, with the honor students holding the title of Imperial Scholar. In order to become one, a student must earn 8 merits, which are called Stella Stars. They are earned through exceptional grades as well as contributions to society.” He stole a glance at Demetrius and Cordelia, who were happily chattering with the other kids. "Master Demetrius has 5 Stellas at the moment, and from what I've heard, Miss Roth has 4. They are certain that the charitable work they do here will earn them the remaining stars they need to become Imperial Scholars."

"Oh? That's wonderful! But how will the school find out?" the director asked. Jeeves sipped his glass. of water and replied, "That will require your personal confirmation, as witness to their charitable deeds. Since you're the director of the orphanage, your testimony will hold more weight with the school staff." Then he looked to the work men and added. "Your accounts will also help Miss Roth and Master Demetrius, would you be willing to report this to Eden College with the director and me?"

"Absolutely." said one.

"We owe the Roth family a great deal, so we'd be honored to vouch for Miss Cordelia and Demetrius." said another.

"Just say when" said the third.

Everything was going smoothly, and if this report was enough, then Demetrius would be an honor student by the day after tomorrow. Jeeves’s eyes moved to the side, subtly watching the young Desmond boy laughing at a joke Cordelia and another child told him, and Jeeves smiled as he drank the last of his water. He’s so close. Don’t worry, Master Demmy, I’ll see to it that you will see your mother again.

As the sun dipped low in the horizon, the children prepared themselves for bed as the adults cleaned up after the meal. The orphanage’s bathroom had never been cleaner, the new deep blue tiles and floral wallpaper was a stark contrast to the boring, old grey walls and water damaged tile floors. At last, the dreary atmosphere of the orphanage was lifted. Thanks to Demetrius and Cordelia’s dedication, as well as the assistance from the supply men, all that was left to be done now was the decoration of the lobby.

To replace the flowers that Jeeves moved from the window to the dining table, Demetrius chose to take a drawing made by one of the younger children, frame it and place it where the flower vase used to be. He’d made the frame himself with the craft supplies he found in the sunroom, but the drawing was what he thought stood out most. Although it was really meant to depict the life that the kids here desired, Demetrius found himself picturing himself in the drawing; holding the hand of his loving mother, expressions filled with joy. A smile began to crack at the corners of his lips, but it faded just as quickly when he noticed that the child was also holding their father’s hand. The father in the drawing was happy to be with his wife and child, but…no matter how hard Demetrius tried to imagine his own father in that same scenario, the smile never reached his father’s eyes. With the way he treated his mother; sending her away like he did, making her feel uncomfortable, Demetrius doubted there would ever be a day his father looked at them with genuine love and affection.

Unless…

Demetrius glanced over his shoulder. Jeeves stood at the entrance, admiring the newly repaired doorbell that he, himself fixed. He tested it out, smiling in satisfaction as a clear, beautiful chime rang out through the lobby. Even though he wasn’t given the order to do any of the repairs, Jeeves still decided to lend a hand. A sliver of hope flickered in Demetrius’s heart. What if Jeeves-
He caught himself before he finished the thought, and he shook his head, turning away from the faithful butler. No. Don’t get your hopes up. Just having him around is good enough for me.

           “Master Demetrius,” Jeeves approached from the front entrance, his hands folded neatly in front of him and a gentle smile on his face. “Miss Roth has informed me that the supply men will stay behind to clean up and load up the supplies. She said that since it’s almost curfew for the children here, she would like to bid them a proper farewell before they go to bed.” Demetrius turned away from the drawing and asked, “Where is she now?” and Jeeves replied, “She’s waiting outside with the director. The children will be along soon.”

Demetrius was led outside to the front yard where Cordelia and the orphanage director awaited him. Since they didn’t account for the orphanage being so unkempt when they arrived, the front yard still needed some work, but that would have to wait until another day. Jeeves exited the building just behind him, carrying his and Cordelia’s school bags, which they’d left in the sunroom.

With the final shades of daylight fading into night, the streetlamps flickered on, giving the desolate road an atmospheric appearance. But any eeriness the surrounding area may have emitted, was overshadowed by the immense sense of accomplishment from the two Eden College students and the looks of gratitude from Hope Haven’s director and resident children.

           “Words cannot express just how grateful we are for all your help today.” Said the director. Her smile spoke volumes, and the light from the streetlamps gave them all a warm, vibrant glow, and if gratitude were a light in itself, the children would be shining like stars. As the director continued in her thanks, Demetrius and Cordelia stood tall, proud of the good work they’ve done. “Demetrius Desmond and Cordelia Roth, you both have shown a great deal of kindness and responsibility today. Although you came here motivated by your desire to earn merits for your school’s honors program, you’ve shown more dedication to the well-being of these children than any other adult ever has. In our eyes, you two are more than deserving of the title of Imperial Scholar.”

The director’s words echoed in their minds, and Demetrius and Cordelia exchanged a glance of pride and excitement. The way she gave them her thanks, and the way she appeared less stressed or exhausted, and the brighter spirits of the orphans; all of it meant that today was a day well spent.

Cordelia bowed respectfully and said, “Thank you for your kind words, miss director. We are honored to have helped out, and this experience has taught us much about being responsible and helping those in need.” Demetrius, beside her, nodded respectfully and added, “If we hadn’t come here, we wouldn’t have fully realized just how much the lives of the lower class differ from ours…” He paused to look up at the orphans, all who gazed back at him with stars in their eyes, some who may have admired him a little. But his eyes were focused on the small 4-year-old girl in the center. She had drawn the picture that he framed and placed by the window.

            “And maybe…we never would have realized that we share the same hopes.”

Everyone was surprised at the maturity in Demetrius’s tone, but also moved. Even Jeeves, standing right behind him, dabbed at his eyes with his handkerchief. “Well said, Master Demetrius.” Finally, the orphans and the director gave one last bow of thanks and wished Demetrius, Cordelia, as well as Jeeves a wonderful night, and the orphans all waved goodbye as they were led back into the orphanage, while Demetrius and Cordelia climbed back into the limo that brought them there. Jeeves’s gaze lingered on the orphanage as the front doors closed, still feeling the impact that the young master and his friend left on this place. With just a single visit, they managed to bring hope back to a once seemingly hopeless home. As he settled in the driver seat, a thought crossed his mind:

            Hope Haven…Coincidence, or fate?

The auditorium of Eden College was bursting with emotion. Students of all first-year classes lined the polished wood bleachers, looking on at the scene with a range of emotions, from awe to envy. This was the first time this year that a first-year student was promoted to Imperial Scholar, and the first time in years that two students were promoted at the same time.

Two days earlier, the Desmond family butler came into the school with an orphanage director and three well-dressed gentlemen, and they all had given their account of the hard work that Demetrius Desmond and Cordelia Roth had put into renovating the interior of Hope Haven Orphanage. The teachers and housemasters, such as Housemaster Henry Henderson, were very impressed that two children of some of the most influential families in the country had taken it upon themselves to restore a struggling orphanage, and tutoring the orphaned children on top of the building renovations. It was one of the most noble actions they’ve ever seen come from six-year-old children. Doing the actual work was enough for 3 Stellas to be given, but for Cordelia who provided all the supplies? An extra star was going to be awarded to her for taking such an initiative.

And so…

            “Will the two students please step forward?” called the presenter. “Demetrius Desmond, first-year, Cline Hall. And Cordelia Roth from the same class.”

Proudly stepping out of the crowd of students and onto the long, red carpet, Demetrius Desmond and Cordelia Roth approached the podium, standing tall and full of confidence. The presenter looked down at the two students, holding a long velvet box, opened to the 7 Stella Stars inside. “You two, who have been born into high society, took initiative to restore a struggling orphanage within a poor district. You took care of the repairs, provided the necessary supplies, and did most of the renovations on your own. You both also helped educate the children who lacked access to proper schooling. To award your kindness, your responsibility, and your hard work, Eden College awards you with these Stella Stars!”

Applause erupted within the hall as the presenter took three stars and pinned them to Cordelia’s uniform, and four to Demetrius’s uniform. Then he took the two neatly folded capes resting on the podium and draped them over the shoulders of the two students, who looked almost as if they were going to explode with enthusiasm.

            “And now, having earned 8 Stella Stars, Demetrius Desmond and Cordelia Roth are hereby presented the title of Imperial Scholar!”

This was the moment they’d been working so hard to reach, especially Demetrius. He finally made it. At last he felt worthy of his father’s love and respect. And now, he’ll be able to see his mother again, see her beautiful face smiling back at him, and to have her hold him in her arms like she used to. This cape he wore now was a step forward on the path to the life he only ever dreamed of, the kind of life he saw depicted in the orphan girl’s drawing. He was so close to it, and there was no way he was going to let this chance slip through his fingers.

Not that anyone could see him, but Jeeves stood above the large wave of children in the very back of the room, hiding in a shadowed alcove deep enough for at least the right half of his body to fit in. Around his neck was a 35 mm camera. He hadn’t really “snuck in” because he did tell the security guards that he was here to snap some pictures of Demetrius Desmond and Cordelia Roth’s award ceremony, and he was allowed in. But that was only after he told them that he was taking them for the school, even though they should have known that there was already a photographer there that the school had officially hired. He supposed that it was only because he was closely connected to the Desmond family that they allowed him in. What they didn’t know, however, was that Jeeves wanted the absolute best vantage point, so he went into the hall early so no one could see him climb halfway up the wall to get to the spot where he was now.

As Jeeves lined up the shot, he took one short pause to just look at him. Where others may have only seen a prodigy student, Jeeves saw a boy who’s taken risks and dodged bullets at home to get here. Seeing him now, wearing the symbol of Eden College’s highest student honor and standing tall, he was more than just a bright student, he was a boy shaped and sustained by love. Jeeves felt great respect toward Melinda. If it wasn’t for the love she showed him, he wouldn’t be on the path to becoming exactly what she wanted to see him become: A kind, caring, and responsible young man.

He steadied the lens, and snapped the photo.

Knock, knock, knock

Jeeves stood at the door of Melinda’s private residence, dressed in his casual suit and holding a square envelope in his hand. Right after the ceremony, he returned to the Desmond Estate for a short time, only to change clothes and place the photo he snapped inside an envelope, so he could properly surprise Melinda. After months of waiting, her son had become an honor student. He could see her jumping for joy and planning a shopping trip with Mrs. Blackbell to pick out a new outfit for the occasion. Why, he’d wager that she was planning for this exact scenario all day today.

Her footsteps grew closer to the door, slow and soft, but it was probably just because she wasn’t expecting him. She opened the door, and the late afternoon light spilled into her spotless, elegant, and rustic living room. No lights were on, all the windows closed, not even the radio or TV were on for background noise. It literally looked like she had just woken up from a long nap; hair matted from sleep, droopy eyelids, relaxed posture. The nap must have been pretty good for her right cheek to have sleep lines across it, like she’d fallen asleep on the edge of the couch pillows.

With a yawn, she greeted him, “Hello, Jeeves.”

This tiredness from her was quite unusual to Jeeves. He’s never known her to sleep this late. It’s half-past four and she’s still in her nightgown? He thought. Given the season, Melinda would normally be up before sunrise and keep herself busy all day, even if it was something as simple as reading an enjoyable book. He worried for a moment that she’d been sleeping since last night, but the breakfast scents from the kitchen told him otherwise. There was the faint smell of tea leaves, and even the lingering aroma of eggs, pepper, cheese. So she had woken up at some point this morning. Still, this was a little out of character for her.

            “Milady, how long have you been asleep today?” he asked.

Melinda looked up at him, curious. She didn’t remember falling asleep, yet she knew that she had been. The last thing she remembered was finishing a plate of an omelet, bacon, and a side of hashbrowns, all that paired with a cup of tea. Even now, those scents remained, peculiarly strong than she thought they’d be, it was like all those scents had combined into a single concoction of perfume…

            Breakfast-scented perfume? An amusing thought. She wondered if there was actually a fragrance out there like that. Imagine walking into town smelling like bacon, eggs, and cheese. Melinda put her hand to her head and an unexpected childlike giggle slipped out.

Her eyes fell and saw that she was still wearing the same silk, pink nightgown she’d put on the night before, a slight bluish glow reflected on it from the late afternoon light outside. She asked Jeeves, “What time is it?”

“It’s four thirty.”

Heat rose to Melinda’s cheeks as the realization hit her; she’d been sleeping all day, completely neglecting everything else she had planned today. Oh no! I was going to meet with Clara and the girls today to celebrate her pregnancy! And I missed it! She was so disappointed in herself. How could she have woken up just to eat breakfast? She couldn’t remember the last time this happened. Or if it happened at all.

            “Milady?” said Jeeves. The calm tone of his voice snapped her out of her frantic thoughts and watched him hold up the envelope to her. “Don’t dwell on sleeping in today, it was nothing more than a mistake. But if my words won’t do the trick…” He nudged the envelope toward her, giving a reassuring smile that looked more like a controlled smile, like he was trying to keep it from widening. “I believe this will make you feel better.”

She took the envelope, and for a moment, she stared at the it, turning it around in her hands; small, square, thin, and on the back, written in fine cursive was “Congratulations, Milady.” Her eyes widened a fraction, her heart raced, and her hands shook with anticipation.

“What is this, Jeeves?” she asked.

There was a knowing glint in his eyes as he replied, “Open it.”

With great care, she tore open the envelope and reached inside, recognizing the familiar texture of a photograph, and she pulled it out. In an instant, she released a breath that felt she’d suppressed for years, and suddenly her vision was blurred with tears that threatened to spill down her cheeks. She smiled through her quivering lip and laughed softly as she held the photograph close to her heart. “He did it.” She whispered.

Excitement swept away any lingering weariness from her body and she threw her arms around Jeeves, bouncing like a giddy child. Jeeves steadied himself before she knocked him backwards and put his arms around her, his own heart fluttering as they celebrated the good news. “He did it, Jeeves!” Melinda exclaimed. “My son is an Imperial Scholar!”

There it was. The sound he’d been looking forward to for months—the pure joy and triumph in her laughter. Slowly, he reached out and gently lifted her chin, bringing her gaze to meet his, full of warmth and pride. His voice lowered to a soft whisper, “His work was hard, and his diligence has finally paid off. But, Milady, he has you to thank. He probably wouldn’t have earned the title this early if you hadn’t given him something to look forward to.” Her breath caught, eyes bright with something deeper than joy this time. The beat of her heart, the tears that threatened, both reached their crescendo. Into his shoulder, she buried her face, pouring out the tears she could no longer contain.

He smiled, but said nothing else. The evening breeze was the only sound that held the space between his smile and what he didn’t say, or rather…what he wouldn’t say.

My son, we’ll worry about later.

Jeeves’s warm expression melted into one of fierce determination as his arms tightened their grip around Melinda. No, there’s no need to tell her yet. Not while there’s still time to save him.