Belle Adams' Butler

Belle was unlike any other girl out there of her age, especially the ones that belonged to her society. Instead of staying in the mansion and resting in her room, she sat on the highest roof of the mansion. Her hair loose without the braids now flew gently under the stars at the hour of midnight. It was one of her very favorite places after the hill forest, a place which was quiet with people who didn't chatter.

She didn't learn it by herself but it was something she had picked up from a distant brother who wasn't related to the Adams family but they were an acquaintance. With her leg outstretched and her hands back, she looked up at the sky.

"Up here again," Lucas came in her view, who came to stand behind her.

"It's you," Belle retorted back and put her head down to look at the tall tower that was built in the town across from here where she could see the clock on it.

"Sorry to disappoint you. Were you perhaps expecting Mr. MacCarty to come to you with an apology," Lucas replied to her.

"Are butlers allowed to speak sarcastically to their mistress and masters?" she asked, turning her to look at him.

"I think not but it is the butler's duty to make sure the children of the house walk on the right path," he said before taking a seat next to her. Belle continued to look at her butler, she wondered how dull his life must be. Always scaring the maids by his words and being diligent when it came to what her parents wanted.

Belle could only hope that the butler wouldn't let her mother know that she was up here because her mother didn't like it.

"Lucas?" she called his name and he turned to look at her. He kept a good distance between them as they sat on the roof, "How long has it been since you started working for my family?"

"Eleven years," he answered her, "Why do you ask, Miss Belle?" With the story she had heard from the other maids, Lucas had no family and had been working for them for a very long time. His eyes weren't red like the vampires but according to what she had found out, he was one because of which he didn't age.

"I was just curious. You don't speak to the other servants, you don't take a break, you don't go out for vacation, aren't you bored with the routine life?" she asked him, placing her head on her knees and looking at him, "Do you remember Lady Heather? The woman who-"

"Who had blonde hair until her shoulders and red eyes with brown dress who said you should take piano class," Lucas completed for her that had the young girl beam as she lifted her head up.

"So you do notice females," Belle grinned to see the stoic expression on Lucas not change.

The butler who was looking at the town that was situated far from this mansion, said, "I do because she said she was going to introduce you to her cousin who was a drunkard with a foul mouth. You should let Mrs. Adams know so that she doesn't invite the girl back into this house," and here she thought that he had noticed a female. The man received a whole lot of attention from girls and women whom he met and spoke to him to be only pushed aside with polite words.

"Where does your house reside?" she asked him. She knew he came from the land of Mythweald but she doubted if he ever went back. At least with what she remembered he didn't.

"Somewhere next to the river that comes after the Lord's mansion," he answered. There were many towns and villages that came after the Lord's mansion but there was no river nearby it which only Lucas knew. Belle only gave him a nod as she had never been to Mythweald herself.

"Let's go there someday," Belle decided out of the blue.

"I don't think it would be to your taste, Miss Belle," she heard the butler say to her, this got a frown on her face, "I know you don't care about the status but it isn't a place for a lady like yourself."

"I would still like to see where you grew up," her butler was a mysterious man. No last name, no proper address which she had an inkling to, and he never let his thoughts out in the open. Instead, the man was always together. Calm and poised looking, maybe elegant too, she thought to herself.

"Why are you up here?" the butler shifted the conversation, "Are you still bothered about the man?" he asked her. Lucas had seen her grow up and he knew that though she tried to be brave in front of everyone, internally it was hurting her.

Belle shook her head, "No, I shouldn't bother about someone who isn't worth it right?" she gave him a smile, the clouds grumbling and rumbling above them.

"That's right, milady. It is better to forget and look forward to the next day," said Lucas who sat next to her.

"That's what I am going to do," remembering what day it was tomorrow she realized she would be traveling to another town. She had asked her father to enroll her for some dancing lessons. A lot of the girls of her age often had governance but her butler was the one who had been taking care of it which was why there had never been a need to have one for her, "Lucas, do you know how to dance?" she asked him.

"Barely," he answered her, "I think it would be better for you to learn where Mr. Adams has enrolled you in. Though I haven't seen her, I heard she is an excellent dancer. You will be able to dance in the balls, more proper formal dance," he looked at the sky, and said, "It is going to rain in a few minutes, you should get back inside," and she nodded to head back inside the mansion with the butler.

The next morning, Belle who was excited before felt her stomach churn as she stood in front of the building. With her lips pressed against each other, she let them go when she heard the carriage she was dropped here go back in the direction it came.

A board hung on the building that read 'Madame Edith's toes'. The building was made of red bricks that had not been painted. She saw a girl walk inside the building and Belle took a breath of air before making her own way inside the building. The corridor held large windows where it allowed light from outside. There was a receptionist who sat behind a small desk. The receptionist was a short young lady. Her black hair was tied up with a pair of glasses that rested on her nose.

"Excuse me, but where is the class for ballroom dance taking place?" Belle asked the person.

The girl gave her a bright smile, "Welcome to Madame Edith's toes. You must be new. If you brought any of your belongings please place it here in the cupboard and write the name in the registry," she said, placing her hand on the open book that was placed at the top of the counter, "If you don't have anything please take a right from here and walk up the stairs and take the door to your right."

"Thank you," Belle bowed her head and she took right.

Reaching the door that was made of glass, Belle caught sight of some of the ladies who were already in there. When she placed her hand on the handle of the door to push it so that she could get inside, she felt a shock in her hand and she immediately let go of the handle.

She took a step back, slightly stunned to what just happened. She had placed her hand on the handle and for a second she felt a jolt in her body and everything around her had turned pitch dark.

"Are you here for the class?" The door opened on the other end and a woman appeared. She was a beautiful woman who had a smile on her face with brown hair that was tied in a ponytail.

"Ah, yes," Belle looked at her, giving her a nod.

She looked back at the handle and then the woman who stood to hold the door for her. Returning the smile, she walked inside the room and with the same smile, she looked at others until her eyes fell on two girls who were around her own age. The girls she didn't get along with.

Hana Wilson and Muriel Edwards.

The first was a pureblooded vampire while the other belonged to a vampire's family who wasn't well off and therefore followed Hana everywhere the pureblooded vampire went. The last thing she had guessed was to meet these girls here but now that she was here, she had no choice but to complete the classes and leave.

The woman who had greeted her was the one who started the class and Belle concentrated on her rather than the girls who had given her looks when their eyes met.

Belle had seen women dance during balls, and she had danced herself going with the flow until she stepped on a gentleman's shoes and apologized before leaving the dance floor. She copied the woman who taught them the basic greeting that was done before they dance. The amount one needed to bow which was different from the normal bowed greeting for the girls.

Right now, it was only females in the room with no males which made it less awkward but Belle could feel the two pairs of eyes that were trying to drill her back with holes if it was possible.

When the class finally ended after an hour, some stood to talk to each other while some started to leave the room. The instructor who had taught them, Ms. Edith had left the room.

Belle didn't see any reason to stay and therefore started to make her way towards the door from the other end and as she was passing by, she heard,

"It seems that even poor girls are trying to act like the elites. How did you even afford it?" asked the brunette girl whose name was Hana. Seeing Belle continue to walk, she said, "Belle Adams'. I am talking to you," the pureblooded vampire didn't like being ignored.

Belle stopped walking to turn to look at the vampires. With a confused yet sweet smile on her face, she asked, "Pardon me, were you talking to me? I thought you were talking to the girl next to you."