Book 1 Chapter 2: Lady Annabella
Lady Annabella Yule was Russ’s mother. They lived in her large mansion which was located in the town of Lakaf. Annabella was a wise and powerful woman.
Even her mansion itself was well-known. It was a place where nobles, kings, and even Guardians came to visit her. The Yules‘ basically gave them everything they needed.
Girls were also schooled here. Annabella trained the girls to become powerful women. They were granted tools and skills to become whatever they desired in life. The Yule family was held with such high regard that one of the girls who was schooled there, had even become a very influential queen; in spite of her initial behavioral issues, she had learned to become a queen who cared for her people.
Lady Annabella Yule was passively gazing out her window, considering what needed to be done about her son. She knew he could act like an imbecile, but she still let him find his way in the past. However, with the war waging in the kingdom, the King had told her that her son would have to perform his duties as a nobleman by fighting for the cause. Still, she would not tell her son this.
Russ has been in the last war and a soldier for six years. Being in that kind of world changed him. He has never liked blood, and as a soldier, he was forced to kill.
Annabella had a plan to keep him safe, she would do whatever it took to do so, even if it meant manipulating him into being furious with her. She was convinced that the faith that she will bring upon him is much better than more blood on his hands.
_______
Two knocks pounded on the door.
"Enter," Said Lady Annabella.
"Evening, Lady Annabella," Ala spoke while holding the door open for her Master, before leading him into the room.
Russ, for his part, just sauntered in. He hadn’t picked up on the mood of Lady Annabella.
"Hello, Mother Dearest," exclaimed Russ.
"Russ... Are you an idiot?" Lady Annabella enquired.
Russ sighed, already knowing where this was going. Still, he said nothing, knowing it would only worsen things.
She continued, "I have powerful families that come to our school, but still you thought it would be okay to bring a slut into a place of learning. I know this place is also our home, but you should have fucked her elsewhere - an alley or any place that is not our home. Where did I go wrong when I tried to teach you proper decency?"
"I'm fine, Mother Dearest. Thanks for asking. Glad to see you're doing fine also." Russ bowed as he retorted.
She threw a book at him. He dodged, expecting the strike. Lady Annabella’s eyebrow twitched slightly in response, agitated.
"Your father, God bless his soul, is in a better place now. My goal was to make our son just as respectable as he was. Is that so terrible?" She asked with fluttering eyes, hands clasped together in prayer.
"You and I both know he had five more kids with another woman, and you only like one of us. You even wished Margolin was your daughter." Russ said.
Lady Annabella cast her head down slightly, shifting her gaze to his eyes. She ignored what he said, instead, she moved to sit on her big chair, presence exuding queenly qualities.
Travis was Russ’s father, he died alongside his wife Sandra in the last war. They lived happily with their girls. Travis and Annabella were married for a day. It was a political marriage more than out of love.
However, to prevent bringing shame upon the Yule family. Lady Annabella told everyone that he died with his men, and pretended that his other children had never existed.
Russ had one brother and four sisters, with him being the oldest of the six. He met them from time to time.
The one brother he did had, he let his sisters make a doll out of him.
His name was Auly. Russ felt he was weak as an individual. He was never strong enough to say no or push for the things he wanted. Auly grew up as a crossdresser, he even wore panties and had make-up.
As far as Russ was concerned, he had five sisters – he thought they were all quite attractive, though, even his so-called brother. They weren’t too stuck up, and consequently were more tolerable than his mother was.
If he had his way, Russ would have made his youngest sister, who was a wuss of a brother - a real man like him.
Auly the Wuss, did all he could to make people happy. He’d be the worst wingman ever, uttering phrases like ‘maybe we should not do this’ and ‘you may hurt that girl’s feelings’ time and time again. Auly was a pain in Russ’s ass, but Auly always followed him around when he went to see them, like a damn pet. There was a time when Russ became very agitated by Auly’s behavior, he came close to hitting Auly but his sisters stopped him. Russ hoped to get a proper little brother when Auly was born but failed which led to another sister.
"Russ, you’re hurting the family's name. You’ve left me with no choice but to disown you." Lady Annabella spoke slowly and eloquently.
Russ gaped at her in disbelief before swiftly bursting out in rage.
"Like I care, mother! This is why father left us - you're impossible to deal with! All I wanted to do was have fun, but I guess I can’t even do that now!" He yelled at her.
"You may be a man, but you behave like a stupid child - you'll never make it without me helping you!" She screamed back at him.
Russ didn’t like it here. He was a 34-year old man living with his mother in a mansion, surrounded by women who his experienced hands weren’t allowed to touch. He wanted to do so much more with his life. So, this opportunity was akin to a Guardian being sent to him.
“You believe that I cannot survive in today’s society with my behavior, right? How about you give me a chance. If I cannot make it in life within a year, I will come home into your loving embrace until you feel like I’m ready to try again. I promise I will not ruin your good name.” Russ suggested.
Lady Annabella was not prepared for the words flowing out of his mouth. She shifted her eyes to meet him, but could see the truth in his orbs; he had only said those words to win her over so she would give him the money he needed to live off of.
"Fine," she finally uttered. "I will give you one year. You will not take anything but one pair of clothes, nor will you take any of my money. In one year, you will show me that you can be a true gentleman. But as soon as you get in trouble, I'll have nothing to say to you ever again. Do you hear me?"
"Loud and clear!" he said with a grin.
Russ thought Lady Annabella was playing one of her games with him; she’d call him back one day, then he could get some more sloppy head out of his maid. He’d just run off and fuck around for a few days in the meantime.
‘This is going to be fun!’ He thought to himself.
* * * * *
{Family name removed: You have been disowned.} {Personal money and the family account have been stripped from you.}
"What?!" Russ shrieked.
{Class removed: Lord Level 42}
{You no longer have your skills available.}
{Because you still have Noble blood in you, you can choose to pick this class.}
(Nobleman}
{Yes or No?}
* * * * *
"What the hell is this?!" Russ screamed in disbelief.
"You’re still here? Go do whatever the hell you like, I won't stop you any longer." Lady Annabella began with her writing and pretended he was not there.
He looked around to find Ala; she must have seen some really dusty books in Lady Annabella's study, he thought, because she was just dusting away without a care in the world.
"Ala, let's get out of here," Russ spoke to her.
She was still dusting and dusting. Wait! Was that a fly? She had to go over there to get rid of it.
He watched her further the distance between them.
"So much for you, friend! I’ll get some more head with my new blue-haired girlfriend! We are going to have lots of sex!" Russ wailed at her.
She snapped her body around to look at him sharply. Did the dust get in her eyes? It had made her cry.
"Such a useless maid you are, you can't even clean or cook well. I don't need a maid like you anyway!”
"Russ-" Ala began to say.
"Russ! This is your own doing," Lady Annabella said. "Your personal money was taken because you, yourself, tied it to the family account. You have never done things for yourself."
He picked {Yes} for the class and stormed out the door.
{You're now a Nobleman Level 1!!} Skill unlocked: [True Calling] ......
After he had marched out, Lady Annabella regarded Ala, still frozen in a mortified pose. Lady Annabella thought she looked as though she would die from the shock. The one she loved wanted to be with someone else, even going as far as saying she was not good enough for him.
“Maybe I should use another body, maybe I could-“ Ala was caught in her thoughts until Annabella spoke.
"Ala, he is right about one thing. Your maid work is terrible. The only thing you are good for is giving him lip service and bending over for his pleasure. I have no choice but to let you go too as you’re not suitable to be a maid in my house,”
Ala’s mind was racing with all the new information. She had lost Russ through the decision Lady Annabella had made and now she’d lose her job as well.
"Don't let him see you...,” Annabella said. “But follow him. Keep him safe without revealing yourself. He may be mad now, but you two have been through a lot." Lady Annabella said. "You are dismissed."
"Lady Annabella..." Ala slowly said.
"One more thing. You cooked for him and only him even when you two were kids. So, he'll live with your cooking, even when you two get old together." Lady Annabelle hinted.
Ala blushed and walked out the door.
______
{Margolin’s mansion}
Margolin, who was Russ‘s half-sister on his father’s side. She was talking to her Guardian Kilo on a couch.
The sister was a brown-skinned woman with long red hair. Like all of the siblings, including Russ, she had red eyes. Her clothing was eloquent and she carried herself like a true lady. Even though Russ and Margolin were not of the same skin color, they didn’t treat each other differently.
Kilo, the guardian of burden. She had short brown hair, her eyes were a gray hollow color. Guardians have no irises. They were entities of nature. Kilo in particular took the weight and stress away from her followers.
“Lady Kilo, it seems the king wants Auly to do her Lord’s task. I told the king, Auly is a woman, and will not participate, but the king constantly insisted...” Margolin stressed.
“Have you Informed her yet?” Kilo questioned.
“I didn’t have the heart to do so... I know she was born a boy, but I know that she loves to be a girl. It makes her feel good to look pretty, adorable, and to be called sexy. I even know she likes other men. She will not admit any of this because she also feels that she must pretend to be a ‘guy’, in order to protect us and fulfill fathers promise...” Margolin voiced.
“And that is?” Kilo wandered.
“Be the man of the house, he said... That’s what my father told her... If I told my sister, the king wanted her to fight as a Lord, she would do it...” Margolin sighed.
“Then I would not speak of this matter anymore.” Kilo decided.
“Thank you Lady Kilo! This stupid war has taken so much from me! I will fall into chaos if my sister Auly was taken from me...” Margolin said as they hugged.
Although guardians are special beings, their main existence was helping their followers be better people.