Hurried footsteps echoed through the halls as shoes clicked against the marble floors. The maid as she lead the way, trembled ever so slightly, making the glass lamp shake a tad bit. Her breathing was tight as if she do not wish to breathe at all.
In her mind, she wonders, 'What these men would do in the nursery, where the young master sleeps with the nanny?'
The flickering light cast shadows over the walls, creating the illusions of monsters walking through the night.
As they reached the nursery, the maid opened the door slowly… hesitantly. Fearing for the young master's life, as the infant had already gone through so much.
Without wasting any time, Darius went for the crib. Pulling out the blanket to reveal a child sleeping soundly…
"Bloody hell…" he mumbled under his breathe.
"What is wrong with you?!" the maid gasped. Taking the blanket from his hand to cover the infant one more to keep away any cold.
"Brennan," Darius called, eyes remained fixed in the crib.
"Dear God," Brennan breathed out, eyes wide from horror.
"What are you two up to?" the maid questioned.
"What do you mean? Can't you see-" Brennan stopped.
"She can't see it," he asked Darius, only for him to shake his head.
Not everyone can recognize the unknown, not everyone can see through the mist of deception.
"The mother has a clear vision, that's why she's furious. She knows what happened." Darius mumbled.
"What do we do?"
"I… I'm not entirely sure…" Darius admitted.
"What are you talking about?" the maid asked.
"Nothing," Darius replied, his eyes finding their way to the nanny sleeping in the rocking chair.
"We were never here, do you understand? We never left the room and we never when to see that… child" He struggled to let out the last bit.
Making the maid shook her head disappointedly, angrily even.
Unbeknownst to her, in the crib lays a child, not from this world. With its long pointed nose, sharp teeth and nails, long pointy ears, black eyes- that are as huge as chicken eggs, wrinkled gray skin, jet black hair, and lightly toned body.
It was a Changeling, the Wilson infant was replaced by something else. Something that doesn't belong in this world.
A changeling is the child of a fairy left in a human family, as a replacement for the real human child that was stolen by the fairies. Changelings are not dangerous. If anything was just like any other infant other than its, unworldly appearance and intelligence that passes its age.
Horribly enough, there are times where fairies tend to abandon their children because of their… well… unique appearance. Thus, they would leave their children in the hands of human families who usually don't suspect anything. While taking the human infant in the process.
Darius grabbed the maid by the arm, pulling her out of the nursery before the nanny could notice anything.
"What now?" Brennan asked.
"Well… we have to look for the real Wilson child, I suppose" Darius bit his lower lip. Saying that they will search for the real child is easy, but how to do it is another matter to resolve.
"What are you talking about?!" the maid hissed, upset about the conversation the two mercenaries are currently having.
"Stop this nonsense this instantly or I will tell the-"
"To whom are you going to report?" Darius cut her off. "The Lady Wilson is not in her best shape, your master run away from his responsibilities…"
"That thing in the crib is not the infant you thought it was. The real baby was replaced by a changeling."
"We can manage from here, you can leave now," Brennan told the maid off with a sympathetic smile. Annoyed, the maid only turned to take her to leave. While the young men remained in the darkness of the hall, as the glass lamp and the maid grow further away.
"Maybe we need to confer with Lady Wilson first, just to see what she wants us to do," Brennan suggested.
"There's also the easier option…" Darius's eyes gleamed under the faint moonlight that shines in the dark hall.
"We can just leave it be, the changelings are harmless so it's going to be alright."
"What?! Are you insane?! The mother knows her child was replaced by a changeling, she can see it. And I doubt that she will let it be." Brennan defended, after all, they can't just abandon their duties here. Leaving the family with a changeling, a screaming mother, and a missing human child.
"How will we find the baby then?" Darius sighed, just as clueless as Brennan.
"Well…"
"My child…" a weak voice echoed in the hall. Standing by the window is a thin woman, her long hair let loose, and is now flowing gracefully along with the wind.
In her hand, she holds a small knife. Which appears to be a butter knife, it wasn't a good weapon… but it's good enough to kill a child.
"I will take my child back," she said her eyes filled with dangerous sparks.
"I will kill that monster and take my precious child back!" she shouted, her hand now trembling.
"We need to stop her, she can't just kill the changeling. Even if it's a replacement… it's still just a child." Brennan mumbled just loud enough for Darius to hear.
"Go ahead then… kill it" Darius replied, taking the woman and Brennan by surprise.
"Have you lost your mind?! It's innocent! That changeling didn't even know it was abandoned by its parents!" the younger male hissed between his teeth.
Lady Wilson shakily walked towards the nursery, her hands tightly wrapped around the butter knife.
"No, I can't!" Brennan tried to stop her but Darius held him down.
"Wha! Let go!" he demanded as Darius kept him in place. Amid his protest, he noted Darius's calm demeanor as if everything was normal.
He struggled against the other's brute strength as the nursery door creaked open.
"What on earth is that nanny doing?! Wake up damn it!"
"Shut up Brennan" Darius demanded as he pushed Brennan to the ground, the younger man falling to the marble floor face first.
"Ah the mistress!" the maids came running, glass lamps in each hand. Hurriedly they run for the nursery to stop the woman that escaped them.
Darius on the other hand has other plans, by the time Lady Wilson hovers over the crib. The knife ready to take the changeling's life… he stopped her.
The knife was just an inch away from the changeling's face… so close yet so far. The cold metal aching to taste the blood of its victim.
"Do you want me to let go?" he asked, yet the words are not for Lady Wilson. But for the tiny green light that's flying outside the window.
Seeing his actions, Lady Wilson remained still… hoping that this man can bring her child back.
He saw it flying behind the woman as if worried that the changeling will get hurt.
As it turns out… they never fully abandon their children.
There was no response, so Darius decided to move the knife a little closer. The tip touches the skin of the changeling's forehead.
Immediately the light flickered, moving in circles as if it was panicking.
"Are you insane?!" Brennan finally caught up, pulling Darius away. Not long after the maids came, taking the knife away, and started securing the Lady of the house. While the nanny finally woke and came to cradle the changeling, still clueless to what happened.
Upon seeing that the changeling to be safe, the light started moving away from the window.
Darius's eyes widened, he will not allow this opportunity to be missed.
Immediately he opened the glass door leading to the balcony. The light was moving quickly, it was heading to the woods.
Maybe having acres upon acres of garden and woodland within your property wasn't so good after all. Because you never know what will decide to move in.
Darius clicked his tongue, it was already distancing itself. If he went around to take the stairs he will completely lose the fairy on the run.
Unconsciously, he held the subterranean sword. Still strapped in his waist ever since he arrived.
'Good, I'm armed.' He thought to himself.
"Darius! What on earth are you doing?!" Brennan shouted taking his attention.
"Get your weapon and follow me into the woods, hurry before that fly gets away!" Darius shouted.
"What fly?!" Brennan asked, but there isn't much time.
Because Darius placed both of his hands over the railing of the balcony, now standing in the railing he jumped off of the balcony.
Leaving his companion in shock and disbelief.
"Darius!" Brennan shouted, worried about the older male. At such height, he could easily kill himself.
But none of that mattered to Darius.
Because…
That moment felt so exhilarating for him, the chilling wind blowing against his faces, the moon casting a dark shadow in the scenery below- illuminating the endless possibilities of danger, and his heart thumping wildly against his chest as he thought of the small window of success.
Maybe...
Just maybe… this is what he was made for but he just hasn't realized it yet.