Four Years Later-

There was little more he could have hoped for than what he had obtained over his first few years of service to his new master. The man was kind but strict. He had brought Harper into his home and taught him how much he could truly be worth if he put forth the effort to change. He'd gone from having one set of grimy clothing and no shoes to a small wardrobe of two dresses and aprons, two pairs of shoes and a pair of trousers gifted to him as a jest due to the misidentification of his gender that fateful evening he'd been caught by the lord's friends.

The first evening he'd shown up to clear his master's supper away wearing the garments under his dress, the old man had had a great laugh. Their tattered brown color hadn't matched the pristine whites and blacks of the maid outfit in the least, but his master never seemed to mind when he continued to wear them more and more frequently. He even gifted him another pair after a few months, along with a ratty old shirt that had likely belonged to one of the stable lads that had outgrown it. 

Come the evening of his fourth year working for the man, he was called into his study after the rest of the maids and butlers had been dismissed for the night. "Hello, little Hari," the man said as Harper stepped into the large room and gently closed the door behind him. He offered his master a bow, then made his way to the seat he was being gestured to take.

He'd always been quite short, even as his teenage years continued to pass and he watched all of the other young boys on the property grow tall and lose the high-pitched notes to their voices. His voice had mellowed out some, but it was still easy for him to sound like a female. Which was quite a good thing, as his employment was completely reliant on him remaining as feminine as possible. But now at a mere five foot five inches in his nineteenth year, he'd been awarded the new title of little Hari, for even most of the other maids had overtaken his height by at least an inch or two.

Any other lad would have likely been frustrated with the nickname, but the idea that his master was thoughtful enough to give him a nickname, even if it was likely just in jest, made Hari's heart swell with pride. He loved working for the man, and admired the way he looked after his staff and the people of his tenure.

"Good evening, my lord." Hari said, inclining his head as he sat straight in his chair, his posture perfect as he folded his hands in his lap.

"I see that you are wearing those trousers again, lass."

Hari blinked up at the older man, his chest tightening slightly with curious worry. "Yes, my lord. I very much enjoy wearing them." He knew that if he ever told the maids, butlers, stable boys, or any other help on the large property that, he'd be poked fun at, but his lordship never seemed to bother with such mockery.

"Dukes Arthur and Rule are coming for a visit late this evening and I would like for their regular rooms to be prepared with haste."

With a relaxing smile, Hari nodded. "Absolutely, my lord."

"Now listen, Hari. I know I always task you with looking after their effects, then let you disappear off to wherever you do when they come calling..." Hari pursed his lips with worry, but the man held his hand up to show that he hadn't finished speaking. "I do not fault you for that, lass. I would be wary of them, too, if I had been put through what you had. You are free to do as you wish during their visit as long as their rooms are tended and your duties are fulfilled. They also noted in their message that they were bringing a dog, so be sure to prepare for the pup as well."

Hari tilted his head, smiling slightly, though he wanted to shudder. "Thank you, my lord. I will gladly keep their rooms in order and be sure that they, and their dog, are quite comfortable during their stay."  

Lord Marksworth gave a content smile and nodded for Harper to rise. "All is well then, please be on your way. They should be arriving at any moment." 

Harper's eyes widened and he jumped up, running out of the room after he gave a quick bow to his laughing lord. He made short work of the servants passages throughout the large home, arriving in the laundering area in time to load his arms with fresh linens. He then made his way to the two neighboring rooms and set to work making the beds. He also dusted the curtains, dressers, headboards and swept the floors. 

The other maids tended to keep the rooms well enough, but Duke Arthur and Rule were two of lord Marksworth's closest friends, so Harper always went out of his way to make sure that their rooms were immaculate. He held no ill will toward either of them for catching him so long ago, like his master seemed to think, but both of them were far too observant. They made his stomach knot with chaste comments about how he acted like a lad, whether it be his posture, speech or eating habits. They picked up on everything so easily that Harper had just taken to disappearing when they arrived for his own safety. He could not be found out. Add to his worry that they were bringing a dog, an animal that never seemed to get along with him no matter what he did, and Harper was eager to finish his duties and vanish. 

He was just about done in the room when he felt something cold and wet press up against the back of his left leg through the worn cloth of his trousers. He leaped, a startled cry swallowed before it could escape his lips as he spun around. A very large, wiry-looking mongrel stared back at him with dark brown eyes, panting with its floppy tongue hanging from the side of its mouth as if it didn't mind that it was drooling about on the carpet it now sat on. 

It likely doesn't. 

Harper's heart was racing as he eyed the beast. It didn't seem to be aggressive like the one's who'd chased and attacked him over the years when he'd lived on the streets, but that didn't mean that it wasn't waiting to strike. 

Deciding to air on the side of caution, Harper began taking careful steps around the animal, moving as far from it as he could while still heading toward the door. He was just about to step out, the beast watching him over its shoulder but not bothering to actually follow, when he felt a gentle puff of warm air against his cheek... right before a pair of lips pressed against the same spot. 

It took everything in him not to turn around and swing his fist at Duke Rule. The man had greeted him the same way each time he'd visited in the past. Harper knew that he just wanted to get a rise out of him, and was glad that he'd finally managed to control himself and not have to incessantly apologize for swinging a punch at someone so much higher station than himself. Putting on his best welcoming servant smile, Harper turned and bowed deeply to the man. When he straightened back up, his eyes rose to quickly assess what Rule was wearing, and his general appearance. He hoped that he would be tired from his travels and wish to rest right away, but as Harper's eyes moved from his perfectly shined black dress shoes, pressed grey trousers, and his fitted white button-up dress shirt and black coat, he could tell just from the man's posture alone that he wasn't anywhere near tired enough to retire for the evening. 

Drat. 

"Hello, sweetheart. How have you been?" Rule purred as Harper finally allowed his eyes to raise and assess the man's face. He had a smooth jaw, no stubble in sight unlike the last time they'd met. His dark blond hair, which almost appeared a soft brown in the dim lighting, was mussed, like he had been driving the horses for part of their trip, and his eyes shone with a steady excitement for trouble. Definitely not tired. 

Forcing back a frown, Harper widened his smile and replied. "I am very well, my lord. Is there anything I can get for you or your dog?" 

A cold nose against his left wrist jolted Harper again, making him stumble to the side and trip on the edge of the rug. He expected a hard landing, but when the back of his shirt was snagged by a strong hand and he was yanked back up to his feet, Harper blew out a relieved breath. When he felt steady again, he turned and bowed. "Thank you, sir." Except, when his eyes rose to meet the other man's, Duke Arthur was the one standing before him, a chuckling Rule right behind him. 

Feeling his face heat, he hurried to bow again. "Good evening, my lord." 

When he lifted his head again, Arthur was staring down at him with a  stoic expression. "Good evening, little Hari." He said, a slight smirk playing at the edges of his lips. 

Harper couldn't fight the glower that slipped onto his face before he could mask it with another fake smile. "Is there anything I can do for either of you before I retire for the evening?" Harper asked as he tried not to shy away from the large dog as it began to nudge at his side again. 

"Are you afraid of dogs, little Hari?" Arthur asked, his silver eyes narrowing slightly with a cruel curiosity that Harper honestly hadn't the energy to deal with right then. The man looked slightly more worn out than Rule as his eyes traveled over Hari, silently noting the trousers with a pause before returning his gaze to his face. Arthur's dark hair was disheveled, likely from running his fingers through it so often instead of from driving horses. His coat was also a little lopsided and there were faint dark circles beneath his eyes. 

Even tired, Arthur was known to be the more calculating of the two men. Lord Rule was a joker, but he was also not to be underestimated. Both of them, together, had been more than a match for Harper's own intellect over the years. 

"I have found few that agree with me, my lord." Harper whispered, his focus more on the canine than on either man. 

The sound of rustling coats brought his attention briefly to the two men who had stepped closer, Arthur moving to stand right up beside him. The man reached down and scratched the dog behind its ears, then looked to him with a knowing smirk. "He tends to dislike other males besides Rule and I." 

Harper pursed his lips, dusting his hands on his apron to try and find something to do with them  besides wring them together nervously. They had picked apart that habit last year. The year before it had been biting his lower lip, and the one before was shifting his weight often. He was running out of nervous gestures that didn't upright give away his unease. 

"Is that so." He finally mumbled, his eyes split between the beast and the ground as he heard a faint tsk sound. The dog's ears began to pin backward and the ridge of hair along its back started to rise. Uh oh. "If there is nothing either of you require, I believe I will take my leave." Harper said with a slightly higher voice as he began to back out of the room. 

Rule chuckled as Arthur straightened back to his full height and turned to watch the dog slowly stalk after him. No, go away. Shoo. Please! When the beast began to growl, Harper flinched and turned, bolting down the hallway like the most unladylike scamp of a maid the two noblemen had likely ever seen. 

He knew that he couldn't outrun the beast. That would have been impossible even if he were outside and wasn't tired from a hard day's work. He could hear it thumping after him, its heavy paws easily giving away its intent to chase. And bite. Harper reminded himself, the idea of being hurt urging himself to run even faster. 

Darn these slippers! 

The shoes maids were given were good for looking pretty and walking about at a constant set pace. Without a second thought, Harper allowed the things to fall from his feet, hoping that the mongrel would take more interest in destroying one of them over his leg or arm. Unfortunately, it didn't seem to keep the monster at bay for more than it took the beast to take a curious sniff. Within moments Harper heard it begin to trot after him again. 

He wanted to turn into one of the rooms he passed every few moments as he made his way around the floor of the home, but he knew that the doors were heavy and it would take him several seconds to close and lock one. The dog, with its substantial size, would easily be able to shove inside if he wasn't quick enough. 

Yet you know that you absolutely cannot outrun it, either. 

Forcing air into his burning lungs, Harper took another turn and was now heading back toward the two rooms he'd prepared for the men. He was just about to just drop into a ball and take the beast's attack as best he could, when a large floor-to-ceiling drape caught his eye at the far end of the hall. He hadn't thought about it before, but with a renewed vigor for self-preservation, he sped up. 

He reached the thick, heavy cloth seconds before the dog would and hurried to scurry up it with surprising agility. His arms and lungs burned by the time he was halfway up the drapes, but the mongrel circling the bottom could not reach him, and that alone was enough of a relief to make Harper light-headed. 

The dog stalked about for another few moments before a loud whistle from down the hall took its attention away from Harper. He held his breath as the beast considered its options, then, slowly, it began to saunter toward where the whistle had come from.  

Feeling his fingers begin to slip from exhaustion and relief, Harper felt himself slip down the drapes. He tried to keep a decent hold, not wanting to fall the rest of the way, but he lost his grip after only a brief struggle. Where he expected to land on the carpeted, yet hard floor of the hall, strong arms caught him before he could get hurt. 

His relief doubled and mixed together with his need for sleep. The feeling was heady and made him lean into the chest of the man holding him as he breathed deeply, doing his best to calm his erratic nerves. "I'll have a talk with Arthur about setting his hunting dog upon you, Hari. It was a bit uncalled for." Rule said, his voice rumbling through his chest enough to startle Harper out of his daze. His eyes snapped open, along with his mouth, as he stared up at the man who easily held his weight. 

Quite ungracefully, Harper struggled in the man's arms until he was awkwardly set back on his stocking-clad feet. "I apologize, my lord." He said, bowing with his eyes squeezed shut as color painted his face that of embarrassment. 

He was mad, too, that Arthur would intentionally have his dog chase him, but he couldn't berate either man over such knowledge. He was a maid and his station was nowhere near theirs, and it never would be. Even if the dog had bitten him, he wouldn't have been able to do anything about it besides apologize for evoking the beast's ire. 

Most lords would probably assume that I had just stressed out their pet enough to cause such a reaction. 

At least with Arthur and Rule, there was no pretending. Whenever they did something, it was quite clear that they intended to do it. Grudgingly, Harper lifted his eyes to meet Rule's humor filled ones. 

"If you will excuse me, my lord. I am quite tired." 

When the duke didn't answer right away, Harper was weary that he would have to continue putting up with their torment, but after a long moment of silence, Rule nodded. "Very well, Hari. Get some rest. We will call upon you in the morning." 

Hari blinked, surprised that they would request him to attend them come morning. He usually just cleaned their rooms while they were busy with other activities. He bit his tongue on an argument, because he had no right to decline the request. Hopefully they only need me to clean a little more or bring something for their dog. Surely that will be all. With a cautiously optimistic outlook for the morning, Hari gave Rule a tired smile and dismissed himself for the night. He would retrieve his shoes, then do his best to get some sleep for the next day.

Hopefully it would not be nearly as eventful. 

(This is still in Coming Soon status until I can be sure I have the time to commit to it. Also, no idea where this is going so far so yay randomness. I already like Rule though XD)