Zeiss scoffed, "Sorry? You were going to kidnap her under my watch, Lincoln? You thought I wouldn't know? Why, though?" He fixed his gaze on the older man kneeling before him. From the moment he had received the news about the king's men from King Hudson himself, and learned that the king was already aware he had the girl, Zeiss sensed Lincoln was up to something. The flicker of hope in Lincoln's eyes at the mention of her age had not escaped him. He had even ventured into Lincoln's chamber while sending him on an errand, only to discover a missive from Hade, the king's right-hand man, commending Lincoln for a job well done and urging him to take the final step: delivering the girl.
"Were you going to take Eleven to the king, Lincoln?" His voice was gravelly as he questioned the weeping man who remained bowed low.
"No!! No no no!!" Lincoln looked up, shaking his head fervently. "I wasn't going to, Master Zeiss! I was threatened!! I was threatened with Maria!!!"
"Threatened?" Zeiss inquired, his brow arching in skepticism.
"Yes!!" Lincoln cried out, desperation lacing his tone. "I can show you the letter! I was threatened with Maria, and she's pregnant! I was threatened with my sister—that's why! I didn't want to do it, I swear!"
Zeiss regarded him for a moment before speaking. "Get up." Lincoln complied, rising to his feet. Though older, he found himself dwarfed by Zeiss's imposing stature. "Fetch me all the letters you've received from the palace."
★
"Here they are, Master Zeiss." Lincoln presented five letters sent by Hade on behalf of the king as he sniffled. He watched as Zeiss picked them up and perused their contents with a smirk before scoffing.
"Typical King Hudson of Vylon," Zeiss remarked, shaking his head with an unnerving smile. He then met Lincoln's gaze. "Why didn't you tell me, Lincoln? Did you truly wish to betray me? To make me lose my trust in you?" He knew deep down that this was not right; Lincoln was loyal to a fault and had acted out of fear. People revealed their basest selves when fear took hold. "You will send no letters back to the kingdom." Lincoln nodded vigorously. Even without Zeiss's command, he understood that replying to the king would be folly.
"There's a house nearby this mansion," Zeiss continued. "You will instruct Maria to move there. I'll appoint guards to watch over her day and night. The king will do nothing." Zeiss observed as Lincoln's eyes widened in surprise before he bowed his head in gratitude.
"Thank you, Master Zeiss! Thank you very much!! Maria will appreciate it." With a smile, he rose and bowed deeply before exiting the study.
As Lincoln traversed the passageway toward his chamber, he encountered Gianna approaching him with a radiant smile. A spark ignited in his eyes at her presence. "Gianna," he called out.
"Lincoln," she replied, glancing behind him toward where he had just come from. "Running errands for Master Zeiss?" She looked back up at him; his features stole her breath away. She had been near him since he was forty and she but fifteen, yet his striking blonde hair and crimson eyes still made her heart race.
"Kind of," he replied, holding her gaze steady. She nodded and absentmindedly brushed her brunette hair back. "You're not playing with the little girl?" he asked lightly.
"The little girl has a name," she said with a chuckle, tucking a loose strand behind her ear. "Her name is Eleven. But let me not waste any more of your time. We'll see each other later?"
"Mm," Lincoln nodded and reluctantly withdrew his hand from her soft hair. "I'll see you later, Gia." She nodded back as he walked past her. Gianna turned to watch his strong back retreating down the corridor, relishing how he always called her Gia. At twenty-five years old—far from a virgin—she felt no shame in being unmarried in Vylon; such matters were for mortals alone. She silently thanked the Lord that both her adoptive parents had passed away, freeing her from any obligation to marry.
"He has such a strong physique, doesn't he?" Gianna gasped when startled by a voice behind her. Turning around, she found Master Zeiss standing there.
"Master Zeiss," she greeted breathlessly.
Zeiss glanced down at her before following Lincoln's silhouette as it disappeared into the corridor.
"He does," Gianna agreed softly. Once Lincoln was out of sight, she turned back to Zeiss, who regarded her with an amused smirk.
"I suspect you would have agreed even if he lacked such impressive physique," Zeiss chuckled before departing, leaving Gianna blushing furiously.
Biting her lip and raising her hands to fan her flushed face, she pondered aloud, "What's with him now?" Her heart raced at the realization that Zeiss might have discovered her feelings for Lincoln. It wasn't exactly love—was it?—but rather an admiration for who he was; perhaps that was enough for now. Surely Zeiss had picked up on that connection.
With a resigned sigh, she made her way toward Eleven's room but realized that was where Zeiss was headed as well; instead, she turned back toward her own chamber.
The mansion housed five maidservants: Gianna herself, Rose, Morissette (Morrison's twin), and Schultz. Yet unlike King Hudson's palace where they were treated as mere servants, Zeiss bestowed upon them spacious and beautiful rooms—a stark contrast that made Gianna grateful every day for choosing to accompany him here. A significant part, though, of that decision stemmed from her desire to remain close to Lincoln.