The Only Exception

Chapter One

 

 

Louis nodded to acknowledge the brown-haired figure standing at the doorway, flipping the quilt to the other side of the bed and placing his legs down.

“Sir your breakfast is served,” Liam spoke bowing his head as he began the sentence.

Louis’ sudden groan filled the room causing Liam to flinch at the abrupt sound. He should have been used to Louis’ constant mood swings, yet after almost two years of service he still fell victim of a slight shock every time the prince had a sudden change in mood.

“Bring it in here,” he said as he eyed the ceiling above.

Liam nodded instantly knowing better than to object to his orders. He rapidly carried himself out of the large room and into the narrow hallway instead. Liam fell into a daze wandering into the secluded passageway which in comparison to the royal section of the palace looked completely bare. He retrieved the dish from the simple bench without making any eye contact with the cooks. Liam was known to keep to himself not desiring any sort of relationship with a person of his kind. He didn’t believe that there was a valid reason for an interaction with another peasant. It would only interfere with his chores, causing a possible loss of his job.

Many people would not have liked to continue as a slave or servant as Louis had labelled it, yet the brown eyed boy rarely found flaws in his job. People may have regarded it as insane to find a duty in which a person was treated awfully as a good job, yet Liam’s eyes were a lot wider than most others. He allowed himself to see things that the ordinary person would never acknowledge. It was one of the reasons Liam was such an introvert, his morals and beliefs went a lot deeper than anyone he’d come into contact with.

Liam continued down the narrow passageway, finding his way back down to Louis’ room. His eyes found the painting that intrigued him the most. On the wall he was admiring, there were scattered works of art of every King with their spouse.  Most portraits displayed the royals in extravagant clothing and jewels covering every visible part of their bodies. The one Liam found so interesting was the single one where the couple were flashing their perfect teeth, with hands attached and eyes glued to the other, they genuinely looked in love.  The others just proved that arranged marriages did not suit was a couple was meant to be.

Liam regarded marriage as the final declaration of love. Love isn’t forced, so marriage shouldn’t be either. Liam’s awareness was proved to be at the absolute minimum when he crashed into a slender figure. He fell backwards, sending the tray flinging into a tanned boy in a silk robe. Although Liam had not sighted the boy’s face, he could instantly declare the boy as a royal. Liam had blown his entire job in a matter of seconds; he scurried to his feet unable to speak as a result of the action that had occurred in the past few seconds. He instantly picked up the tray off the tanned boy’s chest and flinched when he realized the milk had split all over his torso.

***

Zayn was simply making his way to the kitchen to prepare his breakfast. He wasn’t one who depended on others for simple things such as meals and drinks. The hazel eyed boy didn’t find it necessary for people to be waiting on him if he could complete tasks himself. He had limbs and a brain, that’s what they were for. Taking care of himself and not directing others to do his dirty work.

Zayn had risen early this morning. His shortened sleep hours seemed to be occurring more often than not. In the past, the usual amount of sleep he’d acquire would be about eight hours. In recent times, two or three hours of rest would be all he could catch. Zayn was rubbing his eyes as he walked down the corridor. Although his limited rest was dependent on his own sleep cycle, he couldn’t find the energy in himself to carry on through the day. His daily routine consisted of eating and lying in bed. Zayn was never one who exceled in the field of sport, so why would he need the extra stamina anyway?

Zayn’s hands were removed from his eyes when he fell backwards and sighted contents of a dish flying his way. He was about to shriek but the tanned boy didn’t want to cause a scene for the servant who split the food all over him. Zayn propped himself up on his elbows eyeing the figure before him, the brunette was fear stricken yet moving quickly to attempt to clean him up.

The boy had sandy brown hair, swished to the side. Chocolate orbs with a paler skin tone than his own. Light pink plump lips which were now in a slight pout and quite a toned body from what Zayn could see. The boy was undoubtedly attractive, he was definitely Zayn’s type. He brought a sensation that Zayn had never experienced. A tingle in his stomach. A flutter in his heart. A lump in his throat.

Zayn latched his hand gently on Liam’s arm, “Hi,” he gulped pausing the boy in his antics.