As the evening wore on, the mansion began to buzz with activity. The kitchen was a flurry of pots and pans, with Mrs. Rose and the other cooks working tirelessly to prepare the evening's meal.
Nux and Val were tasked with helping to set the table, a massive affair that stretched the length of the grand dining hall. They worked quickly and efficiently, making sure that every plate, glass, and utensil was in its proper place.
As they finished up, the sound of carriages and horses filled the air. The guests were beginning to arrive.
Nux and Val watched from the sidelines as the distinguished guests made their way into the mansion. There were lords and ladies, dignitaries and ambassadors, all dressed in their finest attire.
Lord Harry greeted each guest warmly, shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries. Nux and Val were impressed by the ease with which he moved through the crowds, commanding attention and respect without seeming to try.
As the last of the guests arrived, Lord Harry took his place at the head of the table. The room fell silent, and Nux and Val took their positions along the walls, waiting to serve the meal.
The dinner party was a grand affair, with course after course of delicious food and fine wine. Nux and Val worked tirelessly, serving the guests and refilling their glasses.
As the evening wore on, the conversation turned to politics and intrigue. Nux and Val listened intently, trying to make sense of the complex web of alliances and rivalries that seemed to govern the lives of the nobility.
But despite the complexity of the conversation, one thing was clear; Lord Harry was a man of great power and influence, and this dinner party was just one example of his ability to bring people together and forge alliances.
As the evening drew to a close, Nux and Val breathed a sigh of relief. They had survived the dinner party, and even managed to learn a thing or two about the intricacies of noble politics.
But as they were clearing the table, Nux noticed something strange. One of the guests, a tall, dark-haired man with piercing eyes, seemed to be watching him with an intensity that made Nux feel uncomfortable.
Nux tried to brush it off, telling himself he was just being paranoid. But as he glanced over at the man again, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.
Deciding to ignore the strange man, he continued to clear other tables but as he did so, he noticed a young girl sitting at the far end of the table, away from the other guests. She was dressed in a light blue gown, with a delicate flower crown perched on her golden locks. She looked like a tiny princess, and Nux couldn't help but stare.
The girl caught his eye and smiled, her eyes sparkling with mischief. Nux felt his heart skip a beat as he smiled back at her.
Val, who was busy refilling the wine glasses, noticed Nux's distraction and followed his gaze to the young girl.
"Who is that?" Val whispered to Nux.
Nux shrugged. "I don't know, but she looks like a princess."
Just then, Lord Harry stood up and cleared his throat. "Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to introduce my special guest, Lady Sophia's daughter, Princess Isabella."
The room erupted in applause as Princess Isabella stood up, curtsying to the guests. Nux and Val joined in the applause, their eyes fixed on the young princess.
As the applause died down, Princess Isabella made her way over to Nux and Val, a smile still plastered on her face.
"Hello," she said, her voice like music. "I'm Princess Isabella. And you are?"
Nux and Val exchanged a glance before Nux spoke up. "I'm Nux, and this is Val. We're just servants."
Princess Isabella's eyes sparkled with interest. "Servants? How fascinating. I've never really talked to servants before."
Nux and Val exchanged a glance, unsure of how to respond. But before they could say anything, the mysterious guest Nux had noticed earlier stood up, his eyes fixed intently on Princess Isabella.
"Lord Harry," he said, his voice low and menacing. "I think it's time we discussed the terms of our agreement."
Lord Harry's expression turned cold, and he nodded curtly. "Very well. Let us discuss this in private."
The mysterious guest nodded and followed Lord Harry out of the room, leaving Nux, Val, and Princess Isabella alone.
Princess Isabella turned to Nux and Val, a look of curiosity on her face. "What's going on?" she asked. "Who is that man?"
Nux and Val exchanged a glance, unsure of how much to reveal. But before they could say anything, Princess Isabella's eyes sparkled with mischief.
"I think I'm going to find out," she said and was about to leave when Nux stopped her.
"No! it's too dangerous," he said. "I'll go instead." With that, Nux dropped what he was doing and ran off, into the direction that Lord Harry and the mysterious man went.
Nux slipped through the corridors, his heart racing with fear and uncertainty. He had always been fascinated by secrets and intrigue, and the mysterious guest had definitely piqued his interest. Initially, he didn't want to get involved in matters regarding anyone other than Val but he couldn't help his curious nature. He set aside the dangers lurking around him like shadows and continued.
He made his way through the winding corridors of the mansion, trying to remember which direction Lord Harry and the mysterious guest had gone. After a few minutes of navigating the labyrinthine hallways, he finally caught sight of the two men disappearing into a door at the far end of the corridor.
Nux quickened his pace, his eyes fixed on the door. He reached it just as the two men were disappearing inside, and he managed to slip in behind them unnoticed.
The room was dimly lit, with only a single candle flickering on the desk. Lord Harry and the mysterious guest were seated in two chairs, facing each other across the desk.
"...and I'm telling you, Lord Harry," the mysterious guest was saying, his voice low and menacing, "if you don't agree to my terms, I'll make sure that everyone in this kingdom knows about your little secret."
Lord Harry face was pale, and his eyes were darting back and forth like a trapped animal. "I...I don't know what you're talking about," he stammered.
The mysterious guest laughed, a cold, mirthless sound. "Don't play dumb with me, Lord Harry," he sneered. "I know all about your dealings with the Dark Order and I know just what you guys did."
Nux's eyes widened in shock. The Dark Order? He had heard whispers of their existence through the servants in the mansion. For some reason, no one ever mentioned it whenever Lord Harry was around, he didn't know why and never thought it necessary to ask. He thought perhaps it wasn't just necessary to rise the topic in his presence, he had never really thought that the Lord was involved with them.
He realized that he had stumbled into something much bigger and more sinister than he had ever imagined. And he knew that he had to get out of there before he was discovered.
But as he turned to leave, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He spun around, his heart racing, and found himself face to face with the mysterious guest.
'How did he get here?' Was the first thought that came to his mind as he stood face to face with the man.
"Nux is it?" he asked, his voice dripping with malice. "I didn't know you were interested in politics."
Nux tried to play it cool, but his heart was racing with fear. He knew that he had to think fast, or he would be in serious trouble.