Servants were expected to wake up early in the morning. The had little time to prepare themselves in before taking care of the house they were assigned to and their master. For smaller household, only one or few servants were needed, thus each servant have multiple daily tasks. But for great house or mansion or even castle and fort, a larger number of servants were assigned, each with their own specific job. Some take care of cleaning and maintaining the house, some prepare food and refreshments for their master, other maintained the garden, some act guard, and so on. Like most job and occupations, there existed a hierarchy among servants of the household. Some servants ranked above others, they supervised those under them and report to those above them or to the master of the house. They also took care of the job if needed. The maids have head-maid, the cooks have a head cook or a chef, the gardeners have a head gardener, and so on. On top of the hierarchy stood the head servant, or head servants, one for each gender. Butler, head butler, housekeeper, majordomo, steward, estate manager, house manager. Each household had their own way of calling the head servants. And for house Lion, the term steward and head butler were used interchangeably. It fell upon the shoulder of Barney to serve as the head servant of house Lion. He had done so from when Lord Edward Lion was but a boy of ten, back when he was his only servant. He woke up long before dawn, and quite a time before other servants. He had a strict belief that the first thing a man should do when he woke up was to make his bed, and so he did. Not like he needed to tidy it much, his body seldom moved when he was asleep. After that, he tidied the rest of his room. As the head butler, his room was bigger than other servant's and he occupied it alone. Despite that, his room was mostly empty and devoid of any personal belonging. There was a bed, a work table with a chair, a wardrobe, and two magic lamps that he never used. This eased his work as he didn't have to clean it often, though it also gave a feeling of abandonment and lack of expression. After all that was done, he took a quick cold bath. Using magic, he could clean and remove odors from his body without the hassle of getting wet, but he preferred freezing water even in winter. It prepared him for the day works and it heightened his senses. The clothing he supposed to wear that day was still packaged on his table, imported from the Kingdom of Magic, Lethrand. Inside the package was a black double-breasted open-front tailcoat, black waistcoat, white shirt, black trouser, black necktie, white gloves, and a black shoes that he would later learn was called oxford shoes. The wholes set was called a morning suit, or at least that was what he heard lady Lion called it. It was not a good manner to remember something he overheard, but thing like this always stuck in his mind no matter how improper. Lethrand was known for its surge of new and arguably strange clothing in the last few years, this morning suit was among it. He heard most of the new clothes were made by the newest of Lethrand magic lords that called herself a 'fashion designer'. After wearing the suit, he checked himself in the mirror. What he saw was a man in his mid-fifties with white combed hair and trimmed mustache and beard. He let his beard and mustache grew a little unkempt as it gave him a wise and soothing grandfatherly look, it proved to be a good match for him. While he looked like that, it was not his true appearance in a sense. His natural hair was like the darkest of night and his true age was much older than what his appearance showed. He had maintained that appearance using magic ever since he first met Lord Edward and his magic had never faltered even once, until now. The mirror cracked the same time he noticed his blood-red right eye. It was not as simple as red when his eyes hurt, all the white and the black of his eye was filled with thick red of blood, threatening to spill out. He couldn't let his appearance be. As the head butler of house Lion, he was one of the first to greet guest when they arrived, and first impression meant everything. He would not let people think light of house Lion because of his appearance. He recast his magic. Yet it lasted not a second. He had great confidence in his magic, though he rarely took pride in it. If his magic couldn't conceal his appearance, then nothing easily accessible could. So he shut his right eye and think about an excuse to give. He didn't think anyone would ask him about it, but he still has to prepare nonetheless. He sighed and gazed out the window. Be it day or night, clear or cloudy, the great blue scar shone across the sky as if god spilled a blue paint on the night sky. It appeared a few weeks past and haven't dimmed even a little. And last week, the world suddenly turned cold for no apparent reason. Both were unprecedented happenings that stupefied wise men, puzzled magician, and sent everyone else into an unrest. Some thought the two was related, that the comet was a sign of the sudden otherworldly cold. Though if that was the case, then why didn't the scar stopped shining after the cold went away. He believed the two were unrelated. The cold was one thing, but the sky scar was a sign of something else still yet to come. Something big. Something significant. He also believed the scar took part in making his magic went awry. He shook his head. This was not the time of baseless assumption and speculation. He was the head butler of house Lion, he had responsibility and work he had to do. And if he wanted to be the best of butlers, even a life-changing and world-turning event should not distract him from his job. He pulled a clock from his coat pocket. He read the clock hands and realized he still had some time before the servants woke up. It was another thing imported from Lethrand. He always finds it amazing how Lethrand so-called golden age of magic produced so many simple yet useful everyday object. A small clock that fitted into pocket might not seem amazing, but considering a non-magical clock could take an entire room or even building to operate, it was nothing short of amazing. There exist small non-magical clock that fit in the hand, but even the most precise could only tell the hour of the day. The ramification of everyone having a precise time-measuring machine in the palm of their hand might be even greater than that of the scar in the sky. He chuckled. It was hyperbolic of course, and even if such thing happened it would still be a long way off. The clock, the magical crystal used to run it, and other magical objects could only be produced in Lethrand. Other places lacked the necessary magical knowledge and expertise to reproduce it. Not to mention it was extremely expensive to make and import even for nobility standard. The one he had was given to him to celebrate the anniversary of his service. He shelved his idle thought and future predicting when he noticed the lady of this house woke up. It was not magic nor simple gut feeling. He had served house Lion for thirty-seven years and had taken care of this mansion for twenty of it. This mansion was his domain and nothing within it eluded his attention. Well, almost nothing. He walked straight to the kitchen to prepare refreshments for the lady. He didn't prepare any food as It was still so early in the morning. He prepared a tea - not coffee, she most likely wanted to sleep more considering her condition - and gave it a few drops of lemon to freshen things up. He knew she'd like it. He put the porcelain tea sets on a tray and brought it to the lady's room. This was the mansion owned by house Lion in Aeston, not their main residence, the castle they had in Eastport. It was big and cozy and not too hard for the servants to maintain as it wasn't a castle or a fort. Lord and lady lion were visiting for some trade business with the duchess, and in a week time would go to Redmound for some business with the crown. As the lord hadn't told him any of the details, he took it his involvement and concern were unneeded in this matters. And if he was unneeded, he wouldn't pry into his master's business. He lightly knocked the door, "My lady." "Barney?" Her voice was filled with surprise. She musn't have expected anyone to notice. "O-oh yes, please do come in." When he entered, the candle was not lit and the magical lamp wasn't turned on. The voice he heard answering through the door might be cheery, but he knew better, she was crying. "Tea with lemon, my lady?" He asked while turning on the lamp. She paused before answering. She must have realized it was useless hiding things from him. He seldom made her tea with lemon, only when she was in sour mood. "Thank you, Barney." She wiped the trace of tears before picking the cup of hot tea. He looked at her with pitying eyes but made sure she didn't notice it. Lady Lisa Lion, previously lady Lisa Whitemont. Her appearance commanded disbelieve as she looked no older than a lady of twenty-five years, younger than her first son. Her bright blue hair that she inherited to all her three sons was healthy and never showed any sign of greying. Her face was smooth with no wrinkle whatsoever with healthy pink lips that seemed to never dry. Anyone who gazed upon her beauty would mistaken her as Lord Edward's daughter, not his wife. And no one would expect her half a year older than her husband. And unlike Barney's artificial appearance, hers was natural. But now, strands of her blue hair turned grey. Wrinkle and spots showed up under her eyes, and she often woke up in the middle of the night, crying in all her lonesome, refusing to call or speak to anyone. All began when young Edmund ran away from home and lord Edward disowned him. That night, the lady had the first big quarrel with her husband in their twenty-nine years of marriage. After more than a month, they still slept on different room and neither had softened their stance about the matter. It was not a pretty sight for someone who had watched them as young lovers. As a servant, he shouldn't have butted in his master's personal problem. But as the head butler, he wouldn't let this pass. He was entrusted by the family to give counsel and advice when it was needed. And unlike other servants, lady Lisa could not refuse him or sent him away. She first met him when she was twelve and had been a second father figure for her ever since. "Nightmare again, my lady?" His body was straight and rigid. Strong and imposing like a proper butler should be. She held her forehead and let out a forced smile. "Yes, it's been getting worse." He was the only one she told about her bad dreams. She refused to tell other servants to not make them worry, even to her lady's maid, the one personally took care of her. "My lady, if I may?" He turned his body and extended his arm a little, more or less pointing at a nearby chair. She nodded. Barney pulled a chair from the nearby table. His posture became more relaxed. His back slouched a bit and his face showed a gentle and soothing little smile. He was neither straight nor soft, neither imposing nor weak, just enough in between. The man sitting in front of lady Lisa wasn't Barney the head butler, but Barney the dependable old man from her teenage years. Tears burst out from her eyes without stopping. She tried to stop it, with her will, with her hands, yet none could stop a mother's tears for her son. "Ed, my little Ed," she cried out. "I-I-I saw him, in-in a mountain." She took a deep breath, she couldn't continue otherwise. "Fire, fire is everywhere and I-I-I-" She broke down, her body not strong enough to endure her emotion. She body leaned towards the floor, it had no strength left. She fell. But Barney caught her. "My lady, please rest." "No!" She grabbed his arms. "I'm ... fine!" He sighed. She was clearly pushing herself, but would anything be resolved if she kept everything to herself. Sharing her burden was the least he could do. He put one hand on her shoulder to support her body. His other hand took out a handkerchief and wiped her tears. "Don't worry, my lady. It's just a nightmare, nothing more. Young Ed is not in any danger, I swear it." A mere nightmare wouldn't reduce lady Lisa to this condition, but still he tried to soothe her. "It's not just nightmare, Barney, it's something much more. I ... I saw him, my little Ed." She had no strength left, but her voice and eyes were adamant. He put her head on his shoulder, where her tears wet his suit. "It's not just a dream! It's a vision! I saw him with own two eyes. Fire all around him, and ... and ... his chest. Sword of fire went through his chest! Fire ... fire went through my little son's chest!" "Lisa." How many years had it been since she called her by name only, he didn't remember. He stroked her head like she was but a kid. "You're stressed, Lisa. You're exhausted and sick, and you miss young Ed greatly. Your mind is playing tricks on you. I know how much you care about him and how much you miss him, I know it, I feel the same way as you. But believe me, your dream is just a dream. There's no way you can see him from far away without magic or the like. And believe me, there's no such magic at play here or I would have noticed, I swear." He waited until she calmed down before carrying her powerless body to bed. He covered her with blanket, and as her tears stopped, he wiped what was left from her cheek. Her skin was boiling with fever. Her face was relaxed a little bit after his reassurance, but worries still haunted her. "Still, my little Ed is far away from here, far away from me. What if he got lost, what if he got hungry, what if he's sick?" He smiled a little. He wondered whether she remembered her third son was already twenty years old. She always spoiled and dotted all her children, but Ed was even more so. "Lisa, Ed is not a kid anymore. He is not weak, I've made sure of that myself. He's a good mage with excellent potential, who knows how much he grew in short amount of time. And he's a good person. He might have left this house alone, but he'll make friends in no time." He rubbed her head once more. "So you don't have to worry, just rest for now." Lisa was still worried sick, but what Barney said was true and worrying now wouldn't do anything but making her condition worse. She nodded in agreement. "Then," He stood up. "Good night, Lisa." "Barney." before he could move, she called him again. "Can you stay here, until I'm asleep?" Her voice was weak. It was his duty to follow her order, though even if he wasn't duty-bound, his heart wouldn't let him leave her. He bowed and sat again. She pulled the blanket to her neck and closed her eyes. He didn't lean his body back on the backrest. He sat with his back a little slumped, watching over the youthful-looking lady. A strong urge to sing a lullaby erupted in his heart, though he held it back, it was improper and impolite. "Lisa, if you still have something to say, it's better to say it now so you can have some rest." He didn't know what she wanted to do, but her body was restless. He saw her eyes moving even behind the closed lid. She opened her eyes and smiled. "There's no fooling you, is there?" The embarrassment reddened her cheek on top of the fever. "I was wondering. You said you felt the same way about Ed as I do, so why did you let him leave? Why did you let Edward disown my son?" Barney sighed. "Lisa, have you ever heard the story of the little lion cub of Amaryn?" She looked at him with a confused look, little lion cub of Amaryn was a more fitting name for her third son than anyone else, but the way he said it suggested he was not referring to Ed. Barney gazed at the floor as he began his tale. "You see, a long time ago lived a little lion cub in the forest of Amaryn. His family was poor and weak and small, and even though they are a lion, they are toothless and clawless. Other animals looked down and ridiculed them. Despite that, the lion cub was cheerful and happy, life was good for him. "One day, the lion cub realized how wonderful magic is, and in a delightful turn of fate, was proficient and talented at it. He was fascinated and engrossed in magic, and trained in secret inside the forest. He knew how much magic was abhorred and hated in the forest of Amaryn, even his lion father and mother shared the same sentiment. He kept up with his prideful and proper lion appearance in front of his family and other animals, and deepened his love for magic in his private time. "But, one day, a deer saw him practicing magic in secret and soon enough, the whole forest knew about him and his filthy magic. His parents said straight to his face that he had embarrassed and disappointed them, that he was a great embarrassment to the pride of lion. The cub was shocked and afraid. His parents were always loving and caring, his friend always nice to him and respected him, his brother and sisters loved him. But from that day on, he was isolated from the rest of his pride, he was shamed and ostracized. He was a laughing stock, other animals and even his own brothers threw insults at him, they called him a witch and freak. "The cub couldn't run anywhere, but stay here in Amaryn, where he was nothing more than a court fool. He didn't know much of anything, he was pretty naive and oblivious to the hardship of life. "Then, he got sick of everything. He had only turned eleven when he ran away from home and leave everything behind, his father, mother, brothers, his pride, his nobility status and all the riches with it. He was more than glad to leave them behind, and the feeling was mutual. If there was one regret he had, it was he might never meet his beloved again, his betrothed, this beautiful blue-haired lioness that stole his heart from the moment he saw her. "Five years he disappeared, until one day the family he left became another victim of wars in the forest. His family never formally disowned him, he still had all the right to his father's title, land, and riches. So he returned and took over, though he was a very different lion than when he left "In just two short years, he made this toothless, clawless pride of a lion into a fearsome one, all by himself. His kingdom in the forest was safe and peaceful, trades with other animals and harvest was bountiful in it, and his treasury was full always. He bought other parts of the forest and animals and armies from other desperate nobles, and made them his own. Some animals even pledge their allegiance willingly in exchange for security. He commanded fear and respect and admiration of equal degrees to other animals and his retainers. In just two short years after that, he regained and even amplify what was once his. He even got his beloved back. And she was as happy as he was. "After the war was over, the once lion cub had a family of his own. And he had this ... particular son that reminded him so much of himself. He had experienced so much hardship during his youth. He didn't want his son to feel the same, he didn't want his son to suffer the way he did, but the more he tried to stop him, the closer that son trod the same path he once made." He stopped his story after that, the lady wasn't a fool to not get what he meant after all that. They kept their silence for a few minutes without doing anything else, then the lady turned her head. "You forget to mention the old man who helped him all the way." "The old man was but a lowly servant, the lion accomplish it all by himself." "But he wouldn't become what he is now without the old man's help." He showing a line of perfect white teeth and let out a chuckle. "That's enough of story time, My lady. Please, rest now so you can be better." He then stood up. "Barney." She called once more. "Yes, my lady?" "What happened to your eyes?" He touched his closed right eye. Even though he forgot about it, he never opened nor relaxed his right eye even once. "Ah, this? Just a little itch when I woke up." Lady Lisa and Lord Edward knew about the nature of his appearance. His magic had never failed him even once during his service as the butler of house Lion. He didn't want her to worry about his magic suddenly failing. "Don't push yourself too hard, okay? It's fine to rest sometimes." "I should be the one saying that to you, my lady." They both let out a giggle at his remarks. "The suit looks really good on you. Issue it as the standard uniform for all butler." She gave him a smile, an exhausted but honest smile. His heart finally eased seeing her returning to her usual self. It was truly a most beautiful sight. He nodded. "At once, my Lady." He returned the chair to its matching table. And by the time he turned his body, lady Lisa was fast asleep.