(8) Grandfather

Meadow marches up to the front of the mansion that is directly next to the one her family lives in. Meadow had always believed that this mansion was empty since she had never really seen anyone come and go from the mansion.

Meadow was curious about it, but it didn't peak her interest enough to go and investigate on her own. She had peered through the windows a couple of times, but it didn't seem like anything special. That was until today.

'So this is my grandfather's mansion, I always thought that he lived at another residence. To think that he was this close this whole time.'

Meadow thought as she stood before the mansion doors that had a tree carved on the doors. The two doors had a door knocker in the center of each door. The door knockers were ornate and resembled vines twisted together.

Meadow tried to reach the door knockers on the doors, but her tiny body failed to even touch them. She turned around and gave Harriet her best pleading eyes.

Harriet signed and passed Meadow her game board with the checker pieces that Harriet was left to pick up when Meadow ran to the front of the mansion.

After knocking on the door, the girls waited in anticipation as they heard footsteps on the other side of the door. The door opened revealing Hornsby.

"Good day, my lady. May I ask what brings the little miss here?"

"I would like to greet my grandfather."

Hornsby looks at Harriet for an explanation, but Harriet avoids Hornsby's gaze.

'Seriously, what do you want me to do. Everybody should already know just how stubborn Meadow is. I could already tell that there was no stopping her. I can only imagine what trouble she would have gotten into if I had tried to stop her.'

Harriet thought as she felt Hornsby's gaze still on her. As if reading her mind, Hornsby drops his gaze back on the mischievous little girl staring at him in anticipation.

"Right this way, little miss. I shall take you to greet the Lord."

Excited to see that she was going to meet her Grandfather, she remembers that she probably shouldn't make Harriet wait on her.

"Harriet, you can leave me. I will greet my grandfather by myself."

"Understood my lady. I will come by later to pick the little Miss up for her sword lesson with the knights."

Hornsby nods his approval at Harriet, and then starts guiding Meadow inside the Mansion. The mansions seem to be filled with this gloomy air, which might just be due to having all the curtains closed.

'Gosh! Is he a vampire? Why does he have to keep it so dark in here?'

Meadow thought they walked down a dark corridor until they reached the door at the end of the hallway. Hornsby knocked on the door and waited for a response.

"State your purpose."

A grumpy raspy voice called through the door. Only hearing his voice once when Meadow was a baby, she could still tell that it was his right away. For some reason upon hearing this voice, Meadow became nervous.

"My lord, your granddaughter, Miss Meadow, would like an audience with you."

Silence fell. After waiting for what seemed like forever, the same grumpy voice responded.

"Let her in."

"Yes, my lord."

The doors opened and soon the sight of the room filled Meadow's eyes. The curtains were slightly cracked letting in enough light to make the room feel like it was under dim lighting. Her grandfather sat at his desk looking down at his papers and continued to work as Meadow walked in.

Her grandfather kept working as Meadow and Hornsby stood before his desk. Seeing how Hornsby didn't say anything to her grandfather, Meadow waited in silence.

After her grandfather finished what he was writing he set his pen down, and looked up at his guest.

"What brings you here?"

"I have come to give my grandfather a greeting."

After seeing her grandfather nod his approval, Meadow continued.

"I greet Lord Lark, I am Meadow Lark of the Baron House Lark. I would like to express my gratitude for the gifts that you have sent me for my birthday each year. They have been of much use."

Meadow gave a slight curtsy and waited for her grandfather's reply, but was soon thoroughly disappointed.

"Is that all?"

Flustered by his disinterested voice, she starts to squirm and look down at her feet. She tries to speak but her words come out mumbled.

"I… um… I… would like to… um…"

'Why do I find this old man so intimidating? He is scarier than Gladys.' Meadow thought to herself, but deep down she knew why she was so scared.

She was terrified of not being liked by her grandfather. Since he is family she naturally wanted to make a connection with him and is scared that she will screw up her only chance.

Her grandfather looked at his granddaughter who was trying so hard to speak and kept waiting. He could feel Hornsby's gaze filled with dagger on him that seemed to be telling him to say something already.

"Sigh…"

Her grandfather let out a sigh of exasperation and brushes back his hair in frustration. Meadow interpreted these actions and looked up at him mortified.

'I really did screw up. He hates me.' Meadow thought as she could feel tears starting to well up behind her eyes. 'No I won't cry.'

In the next moment, her grandfather pointed at her. Meadow held her breath, knowing what was likely to come next.

'Get out…'

"What is that?"

Meadow looked at her grandfather confused before looking down. In her hands, she saw her game board. Meadow had forgotten that she was still holding it, even with her knuckles white from holding it so tight.

"It's… It's my game! The game is called checkers! It is a two person game.

Meadow couldn't hide her excitement at her grandfather's sudden question. A wave a courage took over, and next words just came tumbling out of her mouth.

"Would Grandfather like to play it with me?"

'Ahh... I am so stupid. of course he doesn't want to play with me. He just asked out of courtesy.'

She thought to herself, but still couldn't help to look up at her grandfather in anticipation and hope.

Seeing his granddaughter seem to forget her nervousness and look at him so earnestly, he spoke to Hornsby.

"Escort Meadow to the lounge and prepare some tea and treats. I will follow after finishing a few more documents."

"Yes, my Lord."

Meadow happily follows Hornsby to the lounge. However, when Meadow enters the lounge she is shocked out of her excitement. It is so warm and bright compared to the rest of the mansion.

Light was entering from the glass ceiling and illuminated the whole room. The room itself was breathtaking. Meadow had no doubt that the whole mansion was probably this well designed, but without enough light it was hard to see all the architecture.

But that was not what shocked Meadow the most. It was the pictures that filled the room. She looked around the room and tried to inspect each one of the pictures. There were multiple pictures of what Meadow assumed was the Lark family, her family.

Hornsby shows her to the seating and leaves her to go prepare some tea and snacks. After Hornsby leaves the room Meadow gets up to take a closer look at the pictures that fill the room.

In one frame there is a little green-haired boy with green eyes held by a woman with green hair and green eyes. The boy looks similar to Oswald, but has sharper eyes and straight hair. Close behind the boy and woman is a man with brown hair and brown hair. In the picture they are not dressed to fancy and look like travelers.

The next image is that of the boy a bit older who looks to be around the age of 18. Meadow moves forward to the next picture and stops.

She looks at the woman with bright blue eyes and soft pink hair. She smiles as she holds a little girl, with straight green hair and sharp features like the boy in the earlier pictures. Meadow knows right off that bat that this little girl is her mother, so the woman with the soft pink hair is her grandmother.

"Her name is Leilani Lark. She is your grandmother."

Shocked, Meadow turns around to see her grandfather standing behind her.

"She died shortly after Leopold was born."

He said without any emotion, but Meadow could see the sadness in his eyes. Meadow stared at her grandfather in his eyes unsure what to say.

"She is very pretty and has a warm and welcoming smile like a flower."

"That she did."

Her grandfather nodded in agreement and the two stared at each other in silence.