"Hannah, don't you find fried eggs rather pathetic?" Alois said as he poked around at the yellow yolk with a silver butter knife. "Nakedly exposed for all eyes to see. Indeed they almost look like eyes themselves." He sighed. "But they'll never become eyes of course, or anything but my breakfast. All that possibility wiped out." He said as the yolk busted.

He paused for a moment and turned to look at Hannah, who was standing along his side. She looked down to the floor with a fearful glance. Alois looked back to the table and placed the butter knife he was holding at the rim of a glass of cranberry juice and twirled it around, spilling it all over the table and onto his lap.

"Hannah." He demanded. Hannah quickly nodded her head and wiped his lap. Alois' head shut up with a shout of pure disgust. Hannah looked up to him with wide eyes, oblivious to what she had done. Alois began to laugh as he looked down at the poor girl.

"Yes, truly pathetic indeed." He said as his expression turned to that of a crazed madman. His eyes grew to the size of the moon as he continued to laugh. He pointed his finger at her and shoved it into her left eye, causing a seemingly large amount of blood to poor out. Hannah whimpered as that was the only thing she could do. He was her master after all, if he wished to do such a thing, she would allow it.

"Hasn't Claude taught you any better? A maid mustn't look directly at her master, it's rude." He said as he twisted a second finger into her eye socket. Hannah shook and shuddered under his touch. "Do forgive me, Claude would be most upset if I don't punish you." He said as he pulled his bloody fingers out of her lavendar eye. "So." He said as she fell to the floor in complete agony.

Hannah held her eye as blood dripped from the tips of her fingers all the way down the her tanned wrists. Canterbury, Timber, and Thompson whispered to each other as the doors to the dining hall suddenly burst open, revealing an angry Claude. "Ahh." Alois said overjoyed.

"Clean this up at once." Claude demanded as he pointed to the ground. The triplets nodded their heads simotaniously and ran the their masters side, wiping up the spilt juice and helping Hannah stand and leave the room.

Alois held out his hand as Claude pulled out a crisp white handkerchief and began to wipe away the blood. Alois stared blankly as he did so.

*********

Veronica paced back and forth in the kitchen as the triplets suddenly brought in Hannah and sat her down at the servants table.

"Oh my," Veronica said as she looked over Hannah. "What in the world has happen to you miss Hannah?"

Hannah, holding her eye that was still plagued with blood, looked to Veronica with a pained expression.

"The master, he had to punish me." She spoke quietly, hoping the master would not hear her.

"May I have a look?" Veronica asked as she sat down beside her at the table. Hannah slowly nodded her head and took her hand off of her eye.

"My goodness miss Hannah, it's terribly swollen. Will you allow me to wrap it for you?" She asked.

Hannah nodded her head once more and watched as Veronica stood from the table and walked to the cabinet, pulling out a small black box. She sat back down at the table and opened the box, revealing a multitude of medical equipment. She reached for a roll of white gauze and unrolled it.

"Forgive me, but this may hurt." Veronica said as she began to wrap Hannah's bloody eye. Hannah flinched slightly under her touch as she did so.

Veronica felt a pain in her heart. Alois always treated Hannah quite poorly and all she wanted to do was love him. That was always her intentions, never to cause harm to him or put him in danger, just to love him. Not in a remonatic way, but like a mother would love a son. But Alois did not desire love from Hannah, he desired love from Claude.

Claude saw Alois differently however, Alois was only a mere meal for him. His intentions from the very beginning were simple; after he were to form the contract, he would mold Alois into a soul suited to work up an appetite for.

The whole situation was utter chaos. Of course the demons of the household knew of the others intentions, and because of this Claude looked down on Hannah as well. She was turning soft, like a human. Claude could not simply stand human beings, especially a demon that acted as if they were one.

The only people in the entire manor that treated her with even a hint of respect were Veronica and the triplets. Veronica saw Hannah as an inspiration. She always did her job well and as precise as she could, and Veronica looked up to that, Claude found it irritating however.

As Veronica finished with her eye, there was a quiet knock heard from the door. The two women turned their heads to be met with Claude. He stood in the doorway with a look of pure disgust plastered to his face.

"What is it Claude?" Veronica asked as she placed the medical supplies back into their rightful spot in the box.

"His heighness would like a word with you." He spoke, directing his attention to Veronica.

Veronica nodded her head and turned to the cabinet, placing the box back onto the shelf. She turned back to Hannah and Claude and dismissed herself.

While walking down the halls, Veronica passed the triplets as they were cleaning, and something caught her ear.

Canterbury whispered something quietly to Timber as a frown spread across his face.

"What do you thing the master will do with Miss Hannah? He seemed angry with her this morning." He whispered.

Timber shook his head lightly as he dusted over a beautiful porcelain vase.

"Who knows. Probably something terrible. I feel bad for her. Miss Hannah is real nice to the master and he's such a bloddy bastard to her."

Thompson nodded his head in agreement.

"Oh, hello there Miss Veronica. You look lovely as always." Thompson said as Veronica walked by.

Timber and Canterbury nodded in agreement as they turned to face her.

Veronica's cheeks lit up a bit at the lovely compliment. Even though the triplets were foul tongued, they always found the words to give a proper compliment to the ladies of the manor.

"Why thank you. You three are looking as handsome as ever." She said with a curtsey.

They all gave her a soft smile and carried on with their duties.

Veronica turned as well and sighed as she continued to walk down the halls to Alois' study.

When she arrived, she could already hear his repulsive outbursts of anger and she hadn't even opened the door yet.

"Your Highness?" She said as she knocked on the door gently.

A loud, angry sigh was heard from the opposite end of the door. "Come in Veronica, now!" Alois shouted.

Veronica took a deep breath and turned to knob. When she opened the door, her eyes grew wide. Alois' study was completely destroyed. Books lay on the ground, papers ripped everywhere, China sets shattered, and an arrangement of writing utensils were cast aside carelessly.

"You wanted to speak with me your Highness?" She said as calmly as she could.

Alois stood from his chair and slammed his hand down on the mahogany desk.

"I gave you a list of chores that were to be done before this evening and you disobey me by wrapping some silly bandage over Hannah's eye and wasting your time. I am very upset with you!" He shouted.

Veronica lowered her head a bit and cleared her throat.

"Forgive me my lord, but Hannah's eye could have become infected if I had not seen to it. I will finish my chores as fast as I possibly can." She said.

Alois began to cackle like a mad man as he shook his head.

"You will have all the time you need to finish your chores, because you will not be attending the ball this evening. I am assigning Claude's, Hannah's, and the triplet's duties to you. And if you think for one damn second if you finish early that I will allow you to attend, then you are a bloody fool." He said harshly.

"But your Highness I-"

"No Veronica, shut your mouth! You have disobeyed me and now you will be punished for it. Do I make myself clear!" Alois shouted.

Veronica slowly nodded her head. "Yes, my lord."

"Now get out of my sight, you make me sick!" He shouted once more.

Veronica bowed her head and left the room as a warm tear fell from her eye.