Retrace bxbxb

Caution

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)