Moon liked his job as a butler.
Some would think otherwise given the way that he is treated, but that was false. The way Sir Billiam spoke and acted was notably different between public and private. Lashes would actually mean stern conversations, weeks without food would mean a mild slap of the wrist etc. Moon had realised that his master did this for appearances, the way he was treated appeared to be the same as how the other rich people treat their 'help', so his master simply did the same.
Sir Billiam also appeared to be rather... inept when it came to emotions. He snapped at his butler to not make eye contact even when he didn't initiate it because he knew it made him uncomfortable. He pointedly ignored it when his butler would nab a few gold bars from their guests. Sometimes, after long days, he will find a roll of bandages next to his bed in the small room in the mansion he slept in. When Moon did what was deemed a good job he sort of just... stared at him for a while before snapping his head away and briskly walking off. Moon was aware that his master seemed to think he didn't notice, so he acted as if that is true.
Sir Billiam was also the one who taught Moon how to read. The first time he asked, a few years younger and even more shy, his master looked at him like what he was asking was ridiculous. Then Moon would casually bring it up again, at least a week later, and he would get a similar response. This carried on for a few months until Sir Billiam caved.
One day Moon was summoned to the library, alone, and he was wholly terrified. Despite the fact that none of the staff was ever truly beaten their master was a terrifying man in presence alone. When Moon had arrived he was instructed to lock the door and sit at a table, both of which he did with shaking hands. Once both tasks were completed the two sat in tense silence for a long moment before a book that had been open on the table was turned and pushed towards Moon. He was of course puzzled, given that he had no idea what the book said, and looked up at his master in confusion. The older man let out a tired sigh and stated that 'If you really don't want to learn just leave'. Moon was stunned for a moment before giving a bright smile and shaking his head, saying that he really wanted to learn and that he will try his hardest! In his excitement Moon didn't hear the amused, almost fond, sigh given by his master.
Moon liked to believe he was close to their master, given that he had been his personal butler for a long time. Because of this, along with the fact that the mansion was quite the pleasant place to live, he continued to stay even after the number of staff started to dwindle. Some would run away whilst others just quit. It got to a point that only himself and Hubert, a fellow butler, remained. The two grew close in the emptiness of the mansion, almost like brothers.
Which is why Moon was so distraught when he couldn't find his friend.
He brought it up with Sir Billium and was met with a slightly strained expression before the man turned away and said that, unfortunately, Hubert had run away. Moon felt a strange guilt that he couldn't quite explain, as if he were at fault for the absence of his coworker, but he stood tall. Moon resolutely stated that he would stay alongside Sir Billiam for as long as he lived and the man, for the first time, cracked a small smile. It was near invisible but Moon was sure that it was there.Ā
And then a hand reached up to ruffle his hair. It was a soft action, in part due to the fact that Moon had a few inches on his master, but it left the butler frozen. Sir Billiam quickly retracted his hand, muttering out a quiet 'that's good' before turning on his heel and walking out the door. Moon stood in the same spot for a long time before breaking out in a fit of happy giggles; smiling so much it hurt.
///
Billiam walked down the empty halls of his mansion, silently cursing the thrumming in his head that told him that the egg was hungry. He grieved the loss of his staff, annoying as they could be he found it cruel that they had to be subjected to such horrid ends. He hadn't killed a single one of them himself. Instead, he would bring them (sometimes unconscious, sometimes not) to the egg itself and let it slowly consume their bodies. He could tell from the screams that the process was agonising, but he couldn't bring himself to do the deed himself.
And then Billiam heard a scream of pain.
His slow walk quickly evolved into a run and he continued down the hall he heard the noise come from. There was only two other people in the mansion with him, so he could only assume that someone had broken in and in some way harmed one of his butlers. He turned a corner into one of the bedrooms and readied himself to see one of his men harmed, another apprehending the intruder.
What Billiam was instead met with was Hubert's bloodied, lifeless body stabbed through the torso by a netherite blade (where had that thing even come from?) - the figure of Moon looming over it, hands gripped tightly around the handle of the sword. The younger was panting heavily, splattered blood staining his face and clothes (there was so much blood, what was there so much blood?).
Slowly, Moon raised his head and Billiam was met with, instead of soft grey, bright red eyes. He looked maddened, entirely out of his right mind and exhausted, quickly collapsing onto the dead body.
///
"Where's Hubert? I saw him yesterday..."
"He... he ran away."
