—
Theodore could feel a headache forming behind his eyes, and was finding increasingly that his back and neck were sore. He should look into getting a new desk chair and, though he could already hear Daniel making fun of him, some eyeglasses.
And, he thought, perhaps a new desk, and a study with better light. And a quill that didn’t cramp his hand when he wrote with it for hours.
Maybe he should just burn down his entire blasted house and have a new one constructed.
Theodore closed his eyes, sighing. There was no point in being petulant. Even alone in his study, he was being needlessly dramatic. It was only some paperwork. A great deal of paperwork. So many of his expenses had come in all at once today, which required a great deal of reading, reviewing, writing reports and updates, writing orders, deciphering this employee’s godawful handwriting…
Maybe he should ask Daniel to come in and help him since he was so interested in Theodore’s business. But no, as soon as Theodore had that idea he dismissed it. Daniel would learn someday about the tedious parts of this work, but there was no reason to torture the poor boy now when he was still enthusiastic. Besides, Theodore had always done his own work, and he wasn’t about to start foisting it off on poor Daniel now.
As he thought that, however, the door opened, and there, as if summoned by his thoughts, was Daniel. “You’re still working?” he asked.
Theodore nodded. “For a while yet, I’m afraid. If you wouldn’t mind eating dinner with the other boys tonight, I’m afraid I’m going to be too busy to join you.”
“Okay,” Daniel said, coming in and leaning on the desk. “You look tired.”
Theodore smiled at him. “I am, but it will pass once this work is complete.”
Looking at the paperwork and then at Theodore, Daniel climbed into Theodore’s lap, straddling him. “You look stressed, too.”
“Merely because…”
“Of the work, I know,” Daniel said, hands running down Theodore’s chest. He looked up coyly. “Let me help you with that, Master.”
“Daniel, I scarcely need…” Theodore didn’t finish that sentence. Daniel was unlacing Theodore’s pants with one hand and had slipped his other inside Theodore’s shirt.
Maybe he could take a few moments to relax a little, he thought.
—
How Best to Use a Sword 