He found himself speaking, despite of his discomfort around such a loving person. Somehow, she made him do it. His tone was deliberately flat and empty.<br/><br/>"I wish to serve, milady. It is what I do. I wish not to be served. I wish to be the sort of man who is needed. I am crippled and useless to this household. Your staff here have been kind to me... but they should not keep a slave who is of no use. I wish to know what I am doing here and what is wanted of me."<br/><br/>The words spilled out of him in a rush. As he spoke, he was unaware that he had leaned heavily to the side and would have fallen if the doorframe had not taken his weight. His eyelids drooped, and he tried to understand why his vision was blurring even worse than it had been.