The streets were covered with filth, and it did not just include the mud from that morning’s rain. People lined the cobblestones. All of them were covered in dirt and blood, some more than others. Each person had a story of why they lived on the streets of London, though none offered to share that personal information, especially with a newcomer like you.
“Watch it girl,” a rough voice sneered from beneath you.
You turned to see a man with an untamed, red beard. Apparently, you had stepped on his “clothes”, which consisted of a tattered, brown trench coat and an old suit. He must have been a business man before he became homeless. Perhaps he made a wrong investment or broke the law. Perhaps it involved something even more personal. Either way, you decided to stay silent, offering an apologetic smile to the man. Today was not the day to get into a fight, for you were settling in as a homeless girl. A bad reputation or attitude would get you killed in the streets of London.
In truth, you were not a homeless girl at all. You were not even a commoner. Oh no, you were something very valuable, a secret weapon of sorts, though you weren't even aware of that fact. You merely believed you were an orphan whose parents perished in a boating accident, or at least that’s what you had been told by your foster mother before she banished you from her home.
“Are you blind?” A short, lean woman asked with venom in her voice. She ruffled her large fur coat as if trying to get your germs off of it. “I’m standing here.” She shoved you aside roughly, placing a cigarette in her mouth. “So watch where you’re going you filthy little harlot.”
Harlot? You could hardly be considered a harlot. You were fully clothed and never gave men false hope or promises. This lady was obviously of royal or noble blood. Her attitude alone proved that fact.
“Excuse me, but I would appreciate if you refrained from speaking to me in that manner. You do not know me, and I am sure your father would be most disappointed with your language,” you explained, smirking slightly.
The woman’s eyes narrowed into a snake-like glare. For a moment, you wondered if she would slide her tongue out of her mouth and hiss at you, but for some reason, her bright eyes widened. She opened her mouth as if she wanted to speak, instead choosing to stare at the ground while walking away.
“That was most impressive,” a low voice stated.
Hushed murmurs erupted on the streets of London when they heard the man speak.
“That’s the Trancy butler. His name is Claude, I think,” one girl whispered. “His master’s a wee bit looney.”
The man turned his gaze to the girl, narrowing his golden eyes. “While the girl is a bit deprived of manners,” Claude began. “She is correct.”
“And why have you decided to grace us with your presence?” You kept your gaze emotionless, similar to the man before you. If he could be cold and heartless, then so could you.
“I have come only for you, Lady ___,” Claude answered with a slight smirk. “Follow me. We have much to discuss.”
We are the lucky ones.
We shine like a thousand suns.
When all of the color runs together.
As if you were a dog being commanded, you followed him. He led you into a dark forest thick with decaying trees and withering flowers. On the forest floor, animals gathered in one large area. They seemed to be staring at you. Suddenly, they scampered to your feet. You started to shoo them away, but Claude stopped you.
“Do you not see how they gather at your feet obediently?” He placed his hand on your cheek, tracing the outline of your jaw with his fingertips. It didn’t feel like a loving gesture. It was more of a haunting touch that created chill bumps on your arms. “They stand before you out of love and fear, a most alluring combination. Of course, such a combination is difficult to create unless one is naturally gifted.”
You breathed in slowly, shaking slightly from the closeness of the man. Why did he have such a strong effect on you? It was almost like he could control and manipulate your thoughts, emotions, and actions. With each word he spoke, your breathing ceased.
I’ll keep you company in one glorious harmony.
Waltzing with destiny forever.
“Tell me,” Claude began as he walked circles around you. “Are you aware of your family history? Do you remember who your parents were?”
“No. My parents died in a boating accident when I was a baby. The police found me washed up on the shore and gave me to the orphanage.”
Claude sighed, pushing his glasses farther up on his nose. “I assumed something of that nature would be your response. Come, follow me.” He bowed lowly and led you to a small clearing in the woods. There, a black lake sat idle, so still it almost looked like glass. “Stare into the water. Tell me what you see.”
Hesitantly, you stared into the black pool. As if by magic, the lake became clear, appearing to be replaced by a mirror, or so you thought. The reflection staring back at you seemed unusual, for in the reflection, two wings protruded from your back. One wing glistened in the sun, white as snow while the other appeared within the shadows, black as night.
Dance me into the night,
Underneath the moon shining so bright.
Turning me into the light.
“W-what am I?”
Claude smirked. “You, my dear, are the offspring of an angel and a demon. You are an abomination to the angels, just as I am, though your beauty and appearance of innocence surpasses my own.” He paused, plucking a flower from the ground and crushing it in his gloved palm. He opened his hand, releasing ash into the air. “The time has come for you to choose your destiny. Will you remain in the darkness or join your sacred brothers and sisters? Will you become that which you fear the most, or will you rise above this evil desire?” Claude stepped towards you, and with one movement, his palm pressed against your cheek. His golden eyes bore into your (e/c) orbs, searching for the answers to his questions. Slowly, he leaned forward and pressed his lips against your earlobe. His soft breathing connected with the tender skin beneath your ear, sending waves of excitement through your body. “Will you give into this ever-lasting temptation?”
Time dances whirling past.
I gaze through the looking glass
And feel just beyond my grasp
Is heaven.
Your eyelids closed on each other and slowly betrayed your screaming mind. “Yes,” you whispered, stepping away from Claude. It felt as though the world was spinning in slow motion. Your body led you to the edge of the black lake, and then without hesitation, you gracefully fell into the water.
Claude smiled softly as the black liquid thickened, transforming into a sticky substance that completely encased your body. “I am glad you have chosen me,” he stated as he placed his arms beneath your form. Once the black liquid released you, Claude held you in his arms. A momentary sleep had fallen over you, allowing your body to release any angelic spirit it had left. After a few moments, your eyes fluttered open. They were no longer (e/c) but instead shined a bright pink. “Now my dear,” Claude began. “You are mine.”
Sacred geometry where movement is poetry.
Visions of you and me forever.
Dance me into the night underneath the moon shining so bright.
Turning me into the light.
He placed you on the ground, though your arms remained wrapped around his neck as his encircled your waist. A gush of wind surrounded the two of you, and you looked back to see that it had been caused by your wings. Both of them, now shrouded in darkness, blocked the sun’s bright rays. Claude allowed his wings to escape the confinement of his clothing, immediately wrapping them around your body as you did the same to him. He had been searching for you for years, but he never expected you to be so gullible. Destroying heaven's secret weapon proved to be easier than he imagined.
“Don’t you know that you should never trust a demon?” Claude’s voice sent shivers up your spine. “I will teach you the true ways of a Trancy butler, and dispose of you as my master has instructed.” With his final words, Claude flew into the air with your body trapped against his chest. He spun in the air a few times, blurring your vision until finally, he released you and watched your body sink into the black pool. “Goodbye, my dear. Join the children of the night and sleep forever.”
Dance me into the night underneath the moon shining so bright.
Let the dark waltz begin.
Oh let me wheel. Let me spin.
Let it take me again.
Turning me into the light…
