The walk was long. For some reason, they hadn't wanted Lugh to appear through the front door. Instead, they led him along a winding path through the manor's halls, one that connected to the upper balconies of the ballroom.
From there, Lugh could see the guests gathered below, still buzzing with speculation. The rest of what happened at the ball seemed trivial now—so much so that even the dances were performed half-heartedly.
What most people awaited was the emergence of the Von Heim bastard.
While standing there, Lugh's mind wandered back to the events that had taken place earlier, during the time the servants were preparing him for his appearance.
There had been one particular lady—a maid, old, with greying hair but still strong enough to move briskly.
She had started by calling him young master.
"Please don't hate your stepmother."
Lugh had raised an eyebrow, prompting her to continue.
