Swan Song • Sebastian Michaelis

01 | stained with murder

FIVE MONTHS EARLIER

The Victorian Era: 1888

London, England

The shine of a silver knife let off a bright glint in the small beams of sunlight glistening and flitting along the walls of the dark alleyway where a silence filled the tense air. A low chuckle reverberated against the walls as a malevolent smirk wound its way up onto the wielder's lips. She let out a tut of disappointment as though she was scolding the man like a mother to a child that had gone against her wishes. However, this wasn't a mother and child ordeal, she found it to be a game of cat and mouse, where the cat won every time.

Within seconds, the knife plunged into its designated place in the target's tanned, warm flesh, successfully pinning the dying man to the brick wall. A light froth of crimson liquid quickly frothed over the hilt of the blade and decorated the woman's pale hand with another murder as she pulled the knife from his throat and flipped the blade of the knife to eyelevel. She cleansed the knife with the end of her black cloak and nonchalantly sidestepped the body while the man lifelessly crumpled to the ground of the alleyway, the rainwater mixing with his spilt crimson blood and tears that had been shed in his last moments. She didn't bother to dispose of him, the Scotland Yard would find, then identify him eventually.

To the commoners on the streets, the ones shopping and laughing, happily strolling through with their lovers or families, Aurora Sterling was just like them. She was a young woman, assumingly born into a middle classed family with an easier life than that of those in the slums of London. To others however, she was a wicked and malevolent crime lord. She was someone to stay away from, unless a deal was strung up. She had been taught by the best there had been in London's thriving criminal underworld at the time, so it wasn't a big surprise to those who came across her.

Once her knife was wiped clean of the victims blood, she exited the alleyway and nodded to the two men across the street before proceeding down the sidewalk. The two flanked either side of her like vultures to their dead prey with stoic faces to match the girl that somberly parade them through the city busy.Aurora had picked Edward and Zachary Riess up after meeting them as initial clients looking for black marketed drugs, the ones that she carried and dealt across London. They were good at what they did, and Aurora might've owed them her life.

Glances were given, curious is what they were, but none said anything loud enough to hear, only thinking to themselves or wondering quietly to each other why the three looking so out of place. It could have been said that she was making a scene of herself, wearing dark clothing and a slightly torn up cloak with a cloth loosely hung around her neck, but it was simply everyday attire and actions.

"Is there anything scheduled for the rest of today? It's only midday." Aurora tucked a stray strand of hair behind her head and glanced around the busy street.

"You have a meeting with Mister Joseph Quincy in the East End office at half six, Miss." Zachary answered, flipping through the small, torn up notepad he carried around. "He called ahead of time to schedule, like he regularly does. We assume he's coming for his usual trade for drugs, but there was something off on the telephone he was spoken too apparently."

"Very well." She replied. "The Yard seems to be lacking in patrol today, boys. Do you wonder why that is?"

"I've heard that they were investigating something of ours on the East End with The Queen's Watchdog, and another without him on the West End." Edward spoke, then tucked his hands behind his back. "Or rather, The Queen's Watchdog showed up to investigate, but I'm sure that The Yard is there."