"I have no idea why Ed would make such an invite." Arron said his mouth escaping a yawn as he walked into the manor.
"Who knows what goes on in that one's head." Daine spoke beside Arron. "Do not bother yourself with the mind of a craze." He adjusted his glassed as he advised.
"Ya who cares. This is exciting, mystery letters and all. I can feel my blood running!" the loud sound came as a tribute of Keith coupled with a hearty laugh as he threw his arms over the shoulders of the two making them winch a little at his strength.
The trio walked making their way to the dining room that had been decorated to the nines with lavishness. The table spread was as though it was a feast for the kings and queens.
"This seems a bit much." Daine commented.
"You know how Eddy is when he gets in his head." The trio turned upon hearing the voice of another behind them. They bowed with the words 'Your Highness' at the new arrival. He shook his head with a resigned sigh. "I told you far too many times to call me Chase when we are all together like this." He said making his way to take a seat. They soon followed.
The rest of the group had already arrived, all but one person, the host.
"Where is he? We have been waiting for far too long." Lady Lorraine expressed.
"Why so impatient My Lady, have better things to do. Fooling your suitors perhaps."
Arron's words seemed to trigger the lady, "Ha. Maybe. However, you know, it bewilders me Second Young Master Arron that you could make it out of your lovers' hides long enough to make an appearance." They shot each other looks before the rest of the group burst into laughter.
"It is quite lively this noon in the Miller manor, as I would have it." Edward entered the room his hands clasped behind his back, gliding as he made his way to the very start of the dining table, one would call it the head, a most fitting position for the enigma that is Edward Miller. He stood there looking as presentable as always. His jet-black hair styled back giving full view of his face, his emerald eyes shadowed with long dark lashes, his chiselled jaw and fair skin, the man was captivating. If a person did not know any better, they would think him a perfect suitor.
But not his friends. They knew the man better, so they knew just what lay under that handsomeness. They knew better than to be held captive by his beauty.
"Thank you all for making it to what I have dubbed, Miller's Night." He spoke searching the audience for a reaction, but there was none. They looked at him as though the man had finally lost his senses. "I have invited you all here to celebrate and I have made quite the extravagant feast. Please do enjoy as you celebrate with me."
They looked at each other confused as to his current behaviour; it was weirder than usual. Even so, they indulged him and gave an applause. He raised his wine glass, twirling it in his hands before bringing it to his lips to down it with his eyes dead on his friends. "Enjoy." He spoke. The group shook off his strange behaviour and the engagement began.
"Can ya believe that. Me? A brute?" Keith spoke with his face stuffed full with food.
"Yes, I can if my almost dislocated shoulder is anything to go by." Daine expressed moving said shoulder to see if the man had not really broken it.
"I fail to understand why the idea baffles you, especially when you talk with your mouthful. I can understand the lady not wanting your company." Elizabethina said wiping the corners of her rouged lips.
Their words making Keith turn to the one on his right, with a hurt look, "Really?"
Levi let out a small laugh before answering, "Ignore them big guy, those two are mean. It is why they are so well suited for each other."
"Truly. Are the two of you really getting married Lady Eliza." A boyish voice enquired, sounding almost disappointed at the prospect.
"Let it go Lione, you would never be able to handle her." Edward spoke. "Daine can barely do so himself." The group shared a laugh at the kid's expense with Edward's words.
"I am curious too though." Arron said.
"It is our parent's doing we have no say in the matter." Daine answered
"And here I thought Elizabeth Livinston would never be tied down." Chase spoke.
"I thought the same of His Highness."
"Yeah, we heard the monarch is looking for a suitor for his Crown Prince." Katherine added.
"My father is set in his ways. There is nothing I can do. He is King after all, not even I can refuse the monarch, being of his blood line or not. The whole thing is bothersome."
"You can take Lorraine as a wife; she had been throwing herself at you since the academy days. Give the poor lady some eyes before she loses face." Arron took the chance to dampen Lorraine's mood.
"It is clear not. Arron has a problem with me or maybe it is an obsession. Who knows."
"There is always the option of marrying her yourself." His Highness returned.
"Yes, I concur. Lorraine better suited with Arron." Keith said taking a break from feasting to get his words in.
"Why would I do such a shameful thing." Arron threw back another glass, if he had been counting, he would have known how much he had drank thus far.
"Because it is clear that you fancy her." Levi answered.
Arron who had been leaning back on his chair with his feet propped up on the table where his dinner should have been placed, downing his many drinks, shot up so fast that he almost fell out of the chair. "Me? Fancy her?"
"Yes." The group responded in unison.
"What? What nonsense have you been feeding yourselves? Me fancy Lorraine? I would much rather believe it the other way."
"Ha. Impossible. You do not even occupy a fraction of my mind let alone me fancy you." she defended. "I would not even be caught dead next to you?"
Katherine turned her gaze from her meal to Lorraine before deciding to add, "But to me you said-" a fan flew to her landing square on her face. Everyone paused for a second wondering where that came from.
What had happened was that Lorraine had sensed an impending danger the moment Katherine's gaze fell on her and she knew almost instantly that what ever is to come out of Katherine's mouth would ruin her. In her moment of panic, she threw the fan she had been holding for aesthetic at Katherine hoping it reaches on time. Lucky enough it did.
This action left the group quite shocked, in all their years together they have only ever seen Lorraine break character only around her parents. Never have they seen her aggression directed at any one of them, even with Arron, they just kept it to banter never actual aggression. The group was stunted for quite a while before it dawned on them that what ever it is that made Lorraine disregard etiquette must be the most interesting tidbit.
"What is it that you do not want Lady Katherine to say." Daine was the first to voice it out, as always, ever cutthroat, and straightforward.
"Hey, why'd ya hurt Kath? You alright sis?" Keith inquired.
"Yeah, I'm alright. It barely hurt just surprised me is all." Katherine spoke once she regained her composure. "I was trying to say-"
"Lady Katherine Marie Bellington!" Lorraine called, "At first it was a fan. Next time it will be a shoe if you dare." She glared daggers at Kath.
Katherine was just as much of a brute as her twin brother Keith and with just as much of a soft heart. Even so, unlike her brother, she was much more durable emotionally. Very few things shook her. but in that moment, she felt a cold chill run through her that made her not doubt that the young lady would do as she threatened. As such she retreated, she did not dare. She dropped the matter with a thought that women can be scarier than war.
"Oh, come now Lady Kath, please enlighten us we want to know Lady Lorraine secret." Lione urged.
Lady Elizabethina gave a knowing giggle at the scene playing out before her. "I suppose, My Lady is aware of this too. That is why she laughs so." Daine inquired as he took a bite of his food.
"Who me? You jest. I know not." She managed between giggles.
"Why bother the ladies. This is far too obvious." Levi spoke drawing attention to himself. "Lady Lorraine probably brought to the ladies' attention that she too fancies Arron. Do I lie, hmm? Lady Lorraine?"
They turned their eager gaze to her, waiting with held breaths for her words. The poor lady looked on verge of tears. Maybe out of pity for a friend or concern for their host, Chase broke the silence, "Does anyone know where our dear host has ventured off to?"
They turned yet again but this time to the empty seat at the head on the table. Then back to the man who had brought it to their attention. Lady Lorraine long forgotten, if it had been any other day, she would have been quite annoyed that the attention had been taken from her, but she has never been more grateful that the eyes were not on her. This was a first for her, she could not help but think as she let out a shaky breath.
"I have yet to see him since he joked on Lione." Arron said.
"He did grow quiet after, but I think he was still here with us." Lione spoke.
Daine let out a sigh, "He is at it again. I shall go look for him."
"No." Chase protested, "I think it is best if we all look for him. This estate is far too big for one man to cover. You know what he is like."
"I have to agree with His Highness. This might be what Edward wants. Let us play into his game for now." Levi added.
Thus, the group set off in different directions of the Miller Manor. Each in search of the young Lord where their mind thinks him to possibly be.
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" a loud scream shattered the silence of the house, bouncing off the walls and lofty ceilings calling to everyone present. It was a very chilling scream one could not simply dismiss as a jest. As such everyone ran to the direction it had came from which a happened to be the place they were originally sitting and enjoying themselves just an hour ago. Yes, the search had taken an hour, courtesy of the large Miller estate.
The group assembled back to the dining area and with each arrival the air grew thick and heavy. How could it not with the sight before them. Two things were of note in that moment, one that they had found Edward and two that the man was covered in blood and looked devoid of any sign of life.
To be exact, Lorraine and Arron had found Edward's body seated in the very chair they had all seen to be empty with his face down in his plate, looking unresponsive. Arron had walked over with his casual air asking where the man had been, complaining about having to run around looking for him, to pull Edward up but much to his surprise the man was covered in blood all over his chest, and bleeding from all his orifices. The scene was gory. The sight of blood had made the lady so fraught that she screamed alerting the rest.
Now here they all stood, a group of ten reduced to nine in the blink of an eye. They were at a loss. One person more than most, Chase pushed past the group and made his way to Edward's limp body and began searching for any sign of life but there was none. He turned to face his friends who eagerly awaited on him, looking all distraught.
"Edward…Eddy, he…he is dead."