These long eerie corridors with dusty red-toned paintings and high dark ceilings would give goosebumps to anyone who saw them. An enormous castle, full of secrets, where even strangers wandering in those areas wouldn't dare to look for shelter. It did not look abandoned, the garden was always well-maintained, the windows were clean, and, in evenings, they were lit with candles. But no one has ever left the mysterious castle, and people came up with multiple legends starting with a hidden entrance and ending with ghosts unseen by human eyes.

Inside the castle silence predominated. The only sounds were the clock ticking and the creaking old wooden floors… suddenly, the silence was broken by loud, hasting footsteps.

«SERVANTS! GATHER ALL SERVANTS!!» yelled Acheron, the head servant.

A middle-aged man with tired-looking eyes turned a corner and slowly approached him, adjusting the invisibility cloak with his hand.

«What is it, Achey? Why are you in such a rush?» he asked in a sleepy voice.

«Lord Caedmon woke up,» said Acheron firmly.

The servant’s eyebrows rose and he suddenly got so active that went running along the corridor, slamming all the doors and shouting servants’ names. Fuss filled the corridors, everyone was dashing and stumbling, trying to find brooms and scoops, cloths and scrub brushes.

«Shit, shit, shit!! I haven't done any work in ages, but who knew he’d wake up now and not in a hundred years!»

«Where are all the cups? Are they in your bedroom, Stanley?»

«God knows! Do you think he would mind if we threw away his old cloaks? Moth damaged them really badly»

«And what would he wear? Are you really this stupid?»

«Shut the hell up, it's not even that cold! But if there’s a need I can lend him my hoodie, like, what’s the problem»

«Last time he was awake, everyone was riding horses and wearing top hats, you dumbass!»

***

Acheron was standing in the lord’s bedroom and wiping the dust off the frames when he heard the creaking of the coffin lid.

«Ahhh-hhaaaa, good morning Achey! How long have I been asleep? It must be close to a thousand years; I've seen loads of dreams this time, most strange ones, really.» the lord said, yawning and stretching his long, marble-white arms.

«Oh, Lord Caedmon! Morning, morning… about 400, actually, but still, we expected you to be with us a couple hundred years ago.» said Acheron in a calm and respectful voice, as if it wasn't ages since his last conversation with the lord. «I think we should get straight to the point: I'm afraid your old costumes were damaged by moth, so, if you wish, we can give you some of those that are typical for this time.»

«Oh, yes, please! Interesting to see what this century has to offer. What have we got? Show me.»

Lord Caedmon was standing in front of the mirror, his servants helping him to put on an oversized black hoodie with roses on the sleeves and simple blue jeans.

«Justin! Bring these Converse of yours, you have the same size as our Lord. Go go go go!! Oh, Lord Caedmon, this hoodie suits your dark hair so well!»

«What a wonderful invention! The fabric feels so comfortable, do all people wear this now?» whispered Lord Caedmon to the head servant.

«Maybe not all, but many of them do, my Lord» answered Acheron, watching Lord Caedmon smiling at his reflection, when suddenly he frowned and looked at Acheron.

«What is that magic, Achey? How do I see myself in a mirror?»

«Oh, sorry, my Lord; I forgot to tell you that we put a special coating on the mirror so you can see your reflection. New technologies, what can I say.»

«Fascinating! This new century is far more interesting than the one I was in before. Tell me more about it, Achey, I want to know everyth-»

«Not these Converse, dumbass! These are blue, they don't match! Bring the red ones, be quick!» shouted a fat woman who was picking socks to go with the new Lord’s outfit.

«W…what is a dumbass?» asked Lord Caedmon in confusion.

«It is… a modern word for a “friend”, my Lord, don’t pay much attention…» said Acheron, not wanting to explain the whole range of swear words the servants could use.

***

It's been a few weeks since Lord Caedmon had woken up, and every day he learned something new about the new life of this century. Acheron taught him so much and the Lord was so excited about the changes that decided it was time for him to learn more by himself.

«I think I'm ready to face the new world, Acheron,» he said.

«Are you sure, my Lord? The changes could scare or upset you if you go alone.» responded Acheron.

«Yes. I am ready, and I want to learn it myself.» the Lord said, and walked out the castle’s door. He stepped on his hoverboard and said in his graceful way: «Have a good time, dumbasses.» and rode away, showing his bright rainbow-coloured socks flickering in the darkness.