Night came In the Dim Candlelit Room
The room was sparse—empty, save for two chairs: one where Axelius sat, legs crossed and fingers tapping idly on the wooden armrest, and another positioned near the door, slightly distant from him. A single candle flickered on the floor between them, its flame casting shadows that danced along the stone walls. The silence was heavy, only broken by the occasional crackle of the wick.
Owen bounced on Axelius's shoulder, "You seriously doing this? I thought you forgot about it already,"
Axelius chuckled, leaning back comfortably. His grin stretched wider as he replied, "No way, I'll forget about it." His eyes gleamed with mischief, reflecting the candlelight. He rested his chin on his hand, waiting patiently.
A moment later, the door creaked open. Elias stepped inside, Draped over his back was the struggling figure of a maid, her hands bound tightly behind her back, her mouth silenced with a strip of silk cloth. Her eyes were wide with panic, darting around the room until they locked onto Axelius, who only smiled wider in return.
Elias carefully placed her onto the chair near the door, making sure she was secure before stepping back. The maid's chest heaved with shallow breaths, muffled sounds escaping her gag as she tried to speak. Axelius tilted his head, amused by her muffled attempts.
"As you requested, Young Master," Elias said calmly, bowing slightly.
"Perfect," Axelius replied, his voice almost cheerful. He leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees as he observed her closely. "I trust the trip wasn't too uncomfortable?" he mocked, his grin never faltering.
The maid's eyes flickered with fear and confusion, her shoulders tensed, and she instinctively tried to shrink back against the chair. Axelius's gaze didn't waver. He studied her expression for a moment, then glanced back at Elias.
"You may go, Elias. I think I can handle this part alone," Axelius said, waving his hand dismissively.
Elias hesitated for a fraction of a second before nodding, bowing again, and leaving the room, shutting the door quietly behind him. Silence fell once more and The candlelight flickered between them, stretching their shadows across the stone floor.
Axelius leaned back in his chair, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "So," he began, his voice smooth and casual, "you like to talk... isn't that right?"
The maid's eyes went wide, shaking her head desperately. Axelius simply smiled, "It's okay, no need to be shy. After all, you weren't shy when you tattled to Cyruz, were you?"
Her eyes glimmered with fear, her breathing heavy against the silk gag. Axelius continued, his tone soft but edged with something sharp. "Now, I'm a very forgiving person," he paused, letting the words hang in the air, "but... I don't like snitches."
He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, his voice dropping to a whisper. "So... how should we handle this?"
He stretched his limbs lazily, standing up with an air of complete confidence. His footsteps echoed softly against the stone floor as he walked to the small wooden cabinet at the far side of the room. He pulled open the drawer with a gentle creak and retrieved a thin, black folder.
The maid's eyes widened in confusion and fear as Axelius turned back to her, the folder in his hand. He strolled forward casually, the smile still lingering on his face, and stopped just in front of her, towering over her seated form.
"You recognize this?" he asked, tapping the folder lightly. Her breathing hitched, and she blinked rapidly, clearly uncertain. Axelius sighed, pulling a chair from the side and setting it directly in front of her. He sat down, crossing his legs comfortably, and placed the folder on his lap.
With deliberate slowness, he opened it, flipping through the neatly organized papers inside. "You know," he began conversationally, "I wasn't really planning on this... but you just couldn't keep your mouth shut, could you?"
The maid's eyes were wide and alert, fear creeping into every corner of her gaze. Axelius plucked a single sheet from the folder, examining it with interest. "Let's see... family of four, right? Two younger brothers. Hm... cute." He tilted the paper toward her so she could see the names and addresses written clearly. Her breathing grew ragged, and she shook her head, muffled protests spilling out.
Axelius chuckled, leaning forward with a soft smile. "Oh? Worried? Don't be," he whispered gently. "I'm not going to do anything... unless you make me, of course."
He flipped to the next page. "School records... oh, look at that. Top marks in literature. Impressive," he mused, tapping the edge of the paper. "Would be a shame if something... unfortunate happened that kept you from attending, wouldn't it?"
The maid's eyes shimmered with tears, and she shook her head more frantically, soft whimpers escaping from behind the silk gag. Axelius simply smiled wider, his eyes never leaving hers. "See, the problem with tattling," he murmured, placing the folder neatly on his lap, "is that sometimes... sometimes, it bites back. Hard."
He reached forward, tapping her on the knee gently. "And you? You don't want to get bit, do you?"
The maid's muffled sobs grew louder, and she shook her head desperately. Axelius straightened up, stretching his neck with a casual sigh. "I'm glad we understand each other," he said brightly. "You won't chirp again, will you? Because I'd hate... absolutely hate... to have to pay your brothers a visit. They seem... innocent."
Her eyes snapped shut, tears streaming down her face as she shook her head fiercely. Axelius tilted his head, satisfied with her reaction. "Good," he whispered softly. "See? That wasn't so hard, was it?"
. Her eyes were wide, darting between Axelius and the door, searching for any sign of escape. But there was none.
Axelius stood up slowly, the wooden legs of his chair scraping against the floor with a slow, deliberate groan. He straightened his coat and stepped forward, the click of his shoes echoing ominously in the empty room. He leaned forward, his face inches from hers, his voice barely above a whisper.
"You're going to resign," he stated simply, his tone soft yet commanding. The maid's eyes widened further, her body going rigid. She shook her head desperately, muffled sounds coming from beneath the silk gag.
Axelius raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "Oh? You want to say something?" he asked, tilting his head slightly. He reached behind her, pulling the silk cloth away from her mouth. The maid gasped for air, her breathing ragged, tears spilling from her eyes.
"P-Please... young master... I—I need this job," she stammered, voice shaking. "My family... they depend on me. I'm the only one earning... please... don't make me leave. I-I'll do anything... anything you want."
Axelius's grin widened, his eyes glimmering with a mixture of satisfaction and interest. "Anything?" he echoed, taking a step back to observe her properly.
The maid nodded frantically, her eyes desperate. "Yes, anything! I swear... I won't say a word! I—I can clean your room, run your errands... I'll be loyal, young master! Just... just don't make me leave," she begged, voice cracking as fresh tears spilled down her cheeks.
Axelius watched her for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Finally, he crouched down to her eye level, his smile stretching wider. "It's interesting," he murmured softly, "how people become so obedient when their livelihood is threatened."
She swallowed hard, nodding eagerly. "I swear, I'll do better! I won't speak to anyone, not a word! You have my loyalty... my absolute loyalty, young master!" she cried, her voice trembling with desperation.
Axelius tapped his chin thoughtfully, pretending to consider her words. Then, he leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. "I want you to remember this moment... how easily you folded... how quickly you begged." He straightened up, brushing off his coat. "You will resign... but not yet," he said finally, his tone sharp. "You will stay, and you will watch. And when I say you're done... you're done. Understood?"
The maid nodded quickly, relief flooding her eyes. "Yes... yes, I understand. Thank you... thank you, young master," she breathed, tears of relief mixing with her previous ones.
Axelius's smile returned, softer this time, almost kind. "Good," he said pleasantly. He turned his back to her, walking toward the window, his gaze fixed on the distant moonlight. "Now, be a good girl... and keep your mouth shut."
He snapped his fingers, and the door opened. Elias stepped inside, his expression neutral as always. "Young master?" he asked, bowing slightly.
Axelius glanced back at the maid, his eyes gleaming with something dark. "Take her back," he ordered calmly. "She knows what to do."
Elias nodded and approached the maid, lifting her carefully to her feet. She stumbled slightly, still trembling, but managed to stay upright. Her eyes flicked back to Axelius, who only smiled and waved his fingers in a mock goodbye.
"Remember," he called out smoothly, "obedience is rewarded... disobedience is punished."
The maid gulped, nodding quickly as she was led out of the room, her steps unsteady. The door clicked shut behind them, and the silence returned, thick and suffocating.
Owen bounced lightly on Axelius's shoulder, his voice a soft whisper. "You are seriously messed up, you know that?"
Axelius just chuckled, his eyes still fixed on the moonlight. "No," he replied casually. "I'm just making sure people know their place."