When the maid, Isabelle, left, Stephen paced around the room for a while before he laid down. He was amazed at how spacious the room was, it must have been two-thirds the size of his entire apartment, back home! Stephen took off his shirt and jeans and laid down on the bed. It was so soft, which surprised Stephen. He expected it to be comfortable, it was a royal guest bedroom, after all, but he wasn’t expecting soft.

As if he hadn’t slept in days, Stephen dropped into a deep, catatonic sleep. He didn’t dream at all, which was normal for Stephen. His friends online talked about their dreams, now and then, but Stephen had never had one himself. He didn’t mind. It meant he almost always had a full night of sleep, except for the days he drank too many energy drinks.

The chime of a bell woke Stephen. It hung above the door, a little silver bell dancing in place. Stephen took it as a sign that someone was coming, so he quickly dressed in his clothes again and waited. A soft knock sounded from the door.

“Young master?” Isabelle’s voice sang. Already, she seemed more alert and awake than Stephen.

“I’m-,” Stephen’s voice cracked. He cleared his throat and tried again, forcing a deeper tone into his voice, “I’m awake, come on in.”

Isabelle opened the door and slid inside, a silver platter with a domed lid balanced in her left hand. She walked over to the table and set the platter down gently. Then she turned and with a formal tone called out to the door,

“You can come in, Kate, our young master is dressed.”

A young girl, close to Stephen’s age, he guessed, came out from behind the door. She had short curly blonde hair and piercing bluish-gray eyes. They reminded Stephen of storm clouds. She was shorter than Stephen, but there was a deftness in her every action. The young maid, Kate, hardly made a sound as she entered the room.

Something about Kate drew Stephen's focus. He wasn't sure if it was her athletic and slim figure, or the way her every move was graceful and calculated. In the back of his mind, something said, keep an eye on her. He matched her steeled gaze but retreated as soon as he realized she was examining him as hard as he had her.

Kate also sensed something of Stephen. He reminded her of a spider. The scattered black hair on Stephen’s head, his thin frame, and the way he stood at an angle like he was ready to sprint. Guys like him, Kate had learned in her previous experiences, often meant trouble and were rarely dependable.

Isabelle glanced between the two young people and grinned, enjoying this silent cold war, “Oh you two are going to have a lot of fun, I can already tell.”

Isabelle clapped her hands, “Well, here is breakfast,” Isabelle lifted the lid to reveal three plates containing two pieces of toast, a halved apple with grapes, and a pair of hard-boiled eggs. There were napkins, a tiny bowl of jam, and a square of butter as well.

Remembering he hadn't eaten anything last night, Stephen’s belly made a grotesque growl. Embarrassed, Stephen looked up at Kate, then at Isabelle. Kate turned away before he could see her expression and Isabelle just smiled at him graciously.

“We’ll leave you to it,” Isabelle said with a wink, “From now on, Kate will be solely responsible for making your stay as comfortable as possible.”

Kate turned to Isabelle with an astonished look, but Isabelle paid it no mind. Instead, she gave an affirming nod, “Yes, it is decided then! Leave the dishes when you’re done. You are to meet with the Court Mage as soon as you’re finished. Just go down the hall, up the stairs, and it’s the third room down the right.”

With that, Isabelle left the room. Kate glared at Stephen and pointed at the ceiling. Stephen glanced up, realized nothing was up there, and only realized she'd disappeared when the door slammed. Stephen hadn't heard a single footstep, but he could just make out Isabelle chastising Kate for slamming the door. Their voices already trailing down the hall.