"What's this?"
"Something to calm ye down so that ye dinnae jump on everra woman ye come in contact with."
"Oh, how thoughtful." He said, taking the small vial from Merida and downing it. "That tastes like piss."
"Not all remedies are sweet."
"This is true... um... about this month... I wanted you opinion on something."
"Do ye?"
"It's in regarding to keeping me in check. This tonic will keep me from pulling every woman aside for a romp but that doesn't mean it will curb everything. The feeling is still there and with it being my first time dealing with it... I would like to inform Elizabeth about the issue."
"Why?"
"Well, I am courting her and I think she should be abreast of my position."
"Ye plan on marrying her an ye do something?"
"Maybe."
Merida made a face, trying not to be an Edgar about the situation, but the more he started to get closer to Elizabeth, the more discomfort Merida felt in the pit of her stomach. She had had feeling about people before but this was so overwhelming it caused her anxiety whenever she saw Higgs with the woman. It wasn't jealousy like it was before, this was something very new and it frightened her. But her employer hadn't been cooperative as of late to any of her suggestions... One thing she learned while waiting in vain those four years was that it had to be done his way or he wouldn't get it.
"You're quiet."
"Thinking."
"About what?"
"Everrathing and nothing."
"I can tell that this is about my decision. Why do you hate Elizabeth so much?" he said, crossing his arms. "I promised that I would listen to your advice if you ever had a bad feeling but this is getting ridiculous. There has been nothing incriminating about her and yet you still hate her. Why can't you let it go?"
"Let what go? And ye havenae listened to anything I've said."
"Yes I have and I'm talking about me picking Elizabeth. You're the one who told me to just go ahead."
"Because ye cannae make decisions in a timely manner." She growled.
"You're jealous that I chose her over you."
"I'm confused why ye chose her over me. I waited for four years for ye, played things out the way ye wanted them to go and in one defining moment ye let that go to waste for someone easier? I have done above and beyond for ye and I promised that an I sensed something wasnae right that I would tell ye."
"You also said that if I didn't want to listen that you would let it go!"
"What in the bloody hell does that besom hackit have that I cannae give ye?!"
"It's got nothing to do with that."
"Then what? Do ye enjoy tormenting me? It's like ye bring these things up just to make me tell ye off and get into a carfuffle about everrathing. Were those four years just a game to ye?"
"No."
"Then why is it so hard for ye to just let me deal with this in my own way? Yes, I promised that I wouldnae get into yer business, but ye keep making me. Everra opportunity that arises for ye to change yer decision, ye just keep going further and further away. I washed my hands of it and yet here we are, still talking about it. I'm entitled to be a bit bitter over the situation, ye ken? I'm doing the best I can, but there was nothing in any bargain we made that said I had to like it."
"It would make things better..."
"On yer end, maybe. I am civil with her and that's all I need to be."
"If you tried a little harder then it would be easier for everyone. Doesn't it get annoying holding all that bitterness inside?"
"It gets muckle tiring holding back my hand from punching ye square in the mouth, ye git." She snarled, taking Higgs aback. "As I said, I'm trying to wash my hands of it and deal with it. Ye dinnae have to worry about it for much longer anyway. An ye decide to go through with yer plan, ye'll most likely go ahead and marry the lass. Once ye have, Edgar and I will be out of yer hair."
"What do you mean?"
"Ye ken I'm going to work under ye and keep exposing myself to this misery? Ye've lost yer head."
"You said you wouldn't leave if that happened! You also said that you would accept whatever decision I made on this matter!" Higgs laughed bitterly, running his fingers through his hair. "I should have known there would be stipulations to your glorious promises."
"My promises didnae involve me! It's quite a different thing when my own heart isnae involved."
"No one asked you to fall in love! That was the whole point of not telling you about how the curse was broken in the first place!"
"Oh weel arenae ye the saint? Ye spared me that detail! Well for yer information, it wouldnae have matter an ye told me or not, I would have fallen in love with ye either way. I didnae care about what happened to ye or what ye turned into, I just cared about ye in general. Ye used to be so good and kind and loving... That's another reason why I cannae shake that something is going on. Ever since ye've been with Lady Elizabeth ye've become so hateful and mean, ye start fights for no reason and ye bring up things just to hurt me. Ye do it on purpose."
"Maybe I've always been this way."
"Ye have not." Merida sighed. "Why do we keep ending up like this, Mr. Higgs?"
"I'm just telling the truth and your Scottish temper goes wild."
Merida bristled. "Telling the truth, eh?"
"Just like you. Isn't that your specialty? Or can you not handle when someone else is as witty as you?"
Merida laughed. "Is that what being a venomous viper is supposed to be? Ye trying to be like me?" Merida cupped under his chin, taking him off guard. "Oh, Laird Northumberly, no one is like me. No matter how long ye ken ye know me, I will always be two steps ahead of ye." Higgs pulled from her hand. "The difference between ye and me is that when I pull up things ye dinnae want to hear, it's to make ye aware of the problems that I have overlooked and finally can't anymore. Things that will help ye become a better person. Ye pull things up to stab into me, like a knife in my throat. I'm not perfect, but I have been 100% honest with ye in all things. There's not much ye can dig up to help me with my life, but ye know how to dig up a hatchet well and enough. I'll tell ye what, next time something bad happens to ye, how about ye wait for Elizabeth to risk everrathing for ye. I mean, she's shown such great potential so far, right? Maybe it's time that she proves her loyalty to ye like I've done."
"Would you have me go get hurt or kidnapped? At least with her I don't seem to be in danger every time I turn around."
"With a woman like her, all ye have to do is wait. An she proves to me that she is going to do what I would do for ye, then I will be the most charming maid to ever serve this house under Laird and Lady Northumberly. I'll even be the governess to yer children. How nice of me."
"Don't worry about it, I don't think you'll have the chance. You're fired, Merida."
Merida smiled. "Good riddance to ye too."
She turned around and slammed the door closed as she left.
Higgs crossed his arms, wanting to hit something but not wanting to break his knuckles.
"'I bring up things to help you become a better person', " Higgs mocked. "That's just an excuse for trying to make yourself sound like you're doing a good thing. What I said about the damned woman from the very beginning is coming to fruition. She's impossible in all aspects. How could I have been so stupid to think I could trust her? The façade had to end soon enough. I mean, she was happy to be fired, did you see that?" he said to no one, talking to himself. "She had no regret as she walked out that door. I don't need her. I'm a grown man and the lord of an estate! I don't even know why I felt like I had to rely on her so much in the beginning. I don't need her! I have Lady Elizabeth and she's all I need. I don't need Merida Dunbrough. I don't need her anymore."
****************
"What? But-"
"Ye'll come with me down to Boston's mansion. With them being new to the larger home and all, I'm sure Lady Fuchsia will need someone to help tend to household chores." Merida said, pulling out dresses from the closet.
"This isn't right, Merida." Edgar said softly from the doorframe.
"Ye damn well know it isnae!" she screamed, tears falling down her face. "I dinnae ken what else to do, laddie! He's being so hurtful to me and I dinnae ken why. I've tried everrathing that used to work on him but he doesnae want to listen to reason anymore. I'm not happy about Elizabeth just as ye are, but with me it just seems like he blatantly wants to rile me up. I try and try to be alright and go about my day but he just... I dinnae what else to do..."
Merida sank to the floor and sobbed. It was something that Edgar thought he'd never see her ever do: give up. Edgar decided to take her course and sat down beside her, agreeing to give up as well. If Merida didn't wan to fight anymore then the cause was no longer worth it. Besides, it was wearing the both of them out. A fresh start sounded nice.
"I think it will be nice to be with Lord Boston and Lady Fuchsia. Lady Fuchsia's always been real nice. When I would go to Lady Margaret's mansion before I left for school, Lady Fuchsia always played with me and taught me things before I went to school... but what if they don't want us?"
"Mayhap Laird Kans will let us be with him."
"I think that would be nice. Plus, Mrs. Catherine is your friend. Maybe you won't have to be a maid."
"Dinnae ken about that, but it's a nice option." She rustled his hair. "Ye're good lad, Edgar. Have I ever told ye that?"
"Not directly but I know how you feel... So... are you just going to leave Mr. Higgs to the strangeness of Lady Hinkley?"
"Tisnae my problem now. He made that verra clear. Ye need to go pack ye things now, ye hear? Stay out of Mr. Higgs' way until first light."
He nodded and left to go and back his things.
*******************
Later that day, there was knock on Merida's door. She opened it, finding Marlow.
"I thought I may have been too late. When Mr. Higgs said that he fired you..."
"Come in."
Marlow walked in and looked at the bags. "Why are you still here?"
"We're leaving at first light. I needed to catch my bearings and my strength afore I start begging for work. I've got Edgar now, so, it will be a wee bit harder."
Marlow frowned. "That's not it at all. You're giving Mr. Higgs a chance to change his mind."
"After what he's put me through, ye ken I'd give him the pleasure?"
Marlow put her hand on her hip. "I may not know you that well, but I know how you are about Mr. Higgs' outbursts. You two are the strangest people I've ever worked for. You could literally come to blows and the next morning have tea with no qualms between you. It's a good and fascinating thing but it's a bit... juvenile, don't you think?"
"As much as he's grown, there are still things about him that are juvenile. He has lots of trauma that has made him a little lacking at times. Expressing anger and hurt is not pleasant with him but... my temper isnae the best to deal with either. Two people with quick fuses makes the explosion that much stronger. We both need to have the dust settle afore final decisions are made. When he is in a better state of mind and he mentions why I havenae left yet, then I ken it was his wish."
"I personally think things will be fine." Marlow said with a look to the door.
"Why do ye say that?"
"Because Mr. Higgs is in the living room talking to himself with a bottle of brandy. At some point he'll convince himself to lumber up here and yell at you."
"Why did ye let him have brandy? I've told ye many a time-"
"That Mr. Higgs isn't a nightcap kind of man. Yes, yes, and all that rot."
"Ye set me up."
"Of course not." She said, walking to the door. "It's just that like you know Mr. Higgs like the back of your hand, I know the relationship between you two like the back of mine. One of you will cave but which one, which one..." she sang, leaving the room.
Merida made a face, not liking this at all.
*****************
To her surprise, Higgs never came up. She secretly cried silently all night long. She wasn't banking on Marlow's liquor intervention, but as she had said, they usually could work it out. She didn't want to leave but if Higgs wasn't going to cooperate with her, then she couldn't stay. When she promised to stand by his decision, she always left the ball in his court, and would have stood by any decision he had made... if it was literally anyone else but Elizabeth Hinkley. If it had been any other woman, Merida would have gotten over it faster and moved on like she said she would. If Higgs hadn't given her hope for four years and found someone during that time, it would have been better. Anyone was better and any time would have been better than what was happening right now. Elizabeth had always been on Merida's shit list ever since the incident with Patrick Clarvins and her blatant disregard for her former fiance's tendency to get into a jealous rage if she were with other men. She knew this and yet she allowed Higgs to excite his fancies. A woman that flippant was a red flag is Merida's head. What did she gain from being with Higgs?
BLAM!
Merida sat up quickly from the noise, looking around.
"I know you're in there!" she heard from the other side of the door. "Come out and face me!"
Merida sighed and opened the door, finding Higgs leaning on the jamb, smelling like alcohol. She crossed her arms.
"Yes?"
"You are a mean person!" he growled, pointing at her. "You- you just like messing with me all the time."
"That so?"
"Yeah!"
"Would ye like to talk about it?"
"Yes! Yes, I would!" He tromped into Merida's room as she closed the door behind her and he turned around. "You're the most feriating woman I've ever met!"
"That so?"
"Yeah!"
"How is that?"
"You come here with your impossible face and impossible thinking and you're nice and pretty and you make me feel all good inside."
"I sound terrible."
"You are!" He leaned into her. "It's terrible because it's perfect. It... it's so perfect it's scary."
"I'm sorry that I cause-"
"No, no, no, lemme finish!" he said, flopping his finger onto her lips. "You are what everyone of us longs for when we find out how the curse will be. We want everything that you possess naturally and it's so scary that you exist... the perfect woman for us sinful, abhorrent beings. You're rare and like a dark cloud on a hot day... wait... hold on..."
"I ken ye." She said with a smirk.
"Good cuz I don't really know what I mean. But it's like you were made for someone like me. It's like... it's like... something's going to go wrong because you have everything that could ever be wanted." He put his hands on her shoulders. "Thinking that this perfection will fade scares me so much."
"Ye cannae fear the impossible to the point that it limits ye. Sometimes ye just have to go for it."
Higgs just watched her for a moment and then leaned into her, his dead weight made her walk backwards into the wall. He put his head on her shoulder, just breathing. She thought he was asleep for a moment.
"Impossible can be a positive and a negative. You are impossible and that's good... I am impossible, but it's bad... But," He looked up at her. "If you take two negative things, then that makes it a positive. So... so being impossible together it would make us... possible?"
"I ken ye are too drunk for the quandaries of life, milaird. Ye best get to yer bed."
"Pfft, why would I walk aaaallllllll the way down there when there's a nice bed right there?" he said, pointing and staggering to the bed.
"That's my bed."
"I know that. We're gonna get all snug under it."
"Ye're a merman this month, not a Naga. Doesnae work that way."
"You are the cockblock of the century, Merida." He growled, flopping onto the bed.
"I beg yer pardon?"
"Yup."
"Mr. Higgs, get out of my bed. Ye have yer own place to be."
"Come on, Merda; don't you like me?" he said, turning over.
"Not right now."
"I'll hire you back." He sang, turning on his side.
"No."
"I won't bite."
"I'm not doing it. I'm leaving."
"Merida!"
"Goodnight, Mr. Higgs!" she growled, leaving the room.
*****************
Higgs woke up with a splitting headache and not in his own bed. He sat up and moaned, looking around, realizing it was Merida's room.
"Damn it..."
He sighed and stumbled to the door, coming face to face with Merida as she had her hand raised to knock.
"Oh."
"Morning."
"Yes."
"Could ye please leave? I have to get my things so I can leave."
"Leave?"
"Ye fired me, remember?"
"Oh, that. Don't worry about it." He said, massaging his forehead. "You're rehired. Please make me something for this slicing headache."
"Ye ken ye can just play around with me like that? Fire me when I make ye mad, rehire me when ye need me?"
Higgs sighed and reached out, cupping her cheek in his hand.
"I will always need you, Merida. I apologize for my behavior and I know I'm not the best; my attitude as of late hasn't exactly been... good, but no matter what, I will always need you by my side. Please stay, Ms. Dunbrough."
Merida touched his hand and pulled it from her face, holding it.
"Alright then. I'll meet ye downstairs.
He walked past her to change his clothing and Edgar walked up, coming from his room.
"So... are we leaving?"
"No... damn that man."
"Good." She looked at him as he grinned at her. "I didn't pack."
She smirked, ruffling his hair.