A Fey Lord's Guide to Raising Monsters

A maid runs through the mansion, yelling, "Young master! Where are you?! It is time for your sword lesson!"

A boy struggles to hold his laugh while sitting in a cramped closet, his legs buried in a pile of folded clothes and his body hidden by hanging dresses. Even if someone were to open the closet doors, they would not see him unless they dug through the clothes. 

The boy waits until he can no longer hear the maid, then sneaks out of the closet. He tiptoes to the open window, letting the spring breeze flow gently in the ornate bedroom. He inhales deeply and grins. He whispers, "I just want to play in the field of flowers outside the town. I hate swords."

He leans out the window, judging the distance between the window and the ground. He is on the second floor, so getting down quietly won't be easy. The bed enters his view as he turns around with a contemplating look. "I should have time. Before the maid comes back this way."

He is again glad that his father has assigned him only one maid. It makes escaping the boringness of a noble household much more manageable.

He quickly and quietly moved around the bed, stripping the blankets and sheets off. He then began tying the ends of the squares of fabric together, putting together a makeshift rope.

He ties one end of the rope to the leg of a heavy oak vanity near the window. After he double-checks the strength of the knots, he throws the other end out the window.

 Luckily, there is a storage room below the window, so the likelihood of someone being in there is low. He swings his left leg over the window sill to straddle it, then grips the sill tight with his hands, swinging his other leg over as well. The rope dangles in between his hands.

Bracing his feet against the wall, he carefully moves one hand onto the rope and gives a death grip. Falling from that height would be dangerous for someone barely as tall as the chair sitting by the vanity. He slowly inches his left hand along the window until he is next to the rope. He grabs it right below his other hand.

Slowly, he moves his feet downward, followed by one of his hands. Once he is confident he won't fall, he slowly climbs down the rope.

When he is about halfway down, he hears the bedroom door open. "What in the world?" a young girl's voice says. The boy flinches and speeds up his climb.

Hurried footsteps approach the window. "Big brother Eogan! What are you doing with the bed sheets?"

The boy, Eogan, glances sheepishly up at the window. "I want to go to the field of flowers."

The girl's auburn hair is blown into her face as she leans out the window. "No fair. I want to go there too." She pouts angrily.

Eogan chuckles. "Do you think you could climb this rope quietly like I am? If so, I will take you with me."

She nods enthusiastically and clambers out the window fearlessly.

"Woah, be careful, Aine! If you fall, you will get hurt!" Eogan warns.

She nods in understanding and begins to slowly climb down after her brother.

Eogan soon reaches the ground and looks up at Aine. She looks concentrated, and her hands tremble. As he realizes that she is losing her grip and starting to slide, he moves under her and says, "You don't have far to go. Let go, and I will catch you."

She hesitates momentarily, then lets go, falling not so gracefully into his arms. Eogan gently smiles at her and places her on her feet.

Not even a moment later, the gardener comes around the corner and looks at them dumbfounded.