London Reaper

Chapter 1

Without, it was a clear, sunny day over the manor. Short breezes blew through the open field, making the grass dance and roll gracefully, through the trees that rustled and dispersed their leaves, and through the spotless gardens, spreading the elegant aroma of rainbow-coloured patches of tulips and roses, as the small songbirds sang their morning songs. Inside, the butler was walking down the hallway. The clanking oder his heels faintly echoed in the vacant manor, if one omitted the butler and his master. Once he arrived at the door, he gave the door two quick knocks, and entered. "Master?" he called out.

A small grumble within the blankets responded back to the butler. The butler sighed, "Young master please, the tutor will arrive a quarter past ten." He opened his pocket watch to find the time being eight.

Still no response, other than the shuffling in the sheets. The butler walked to the window, and moved aside the heavy red drapes. Then proceeded to the left side of the bed, grabbed the person in the bundles of sheets, lifted the master up, only about fifty centimeters, then dropped the master on the bed.

"Alright I'm awake," she grumbled, still covered by the sheets. She then uncovered herself and sat herself on the bed; she was a charming girl about the age of fourteen, had the height of one-hundred-sixty centimeters, light skin toned, and long, black straight hair. She stretched her arms and legs and gave out a large yawn. "Next time, do be more gentle when awakening me," she complained, while rubbing her eyes.

The butler smiled, bowed his head slightly and said, "As you wish master."

She then hopped off the bed, mercurial and animated, ran down the hallway, and entered a rather small tiled room. She then undressed and stepped into a particularly low tub with small holes, which was average in length and width, but not in height. In there she pulled a lever, which caused a funnel-shaped object- it was covered, apart from the small holes- to begin to pour out water, pouring the water out almost like rain, the butler and master called it the Rainer-Head, the water was warm, for the butler boiled it before awakening the master.

Once finished, she pushed the lever back into place, causing the water to stop pouring, stepped out of the tub, and called out, "James!"

The butler immediately entered the room with a towel and clothing for the master. The dress he provided for the master was made if silk, which was imported that very week, and was the colour of blue, blue not of the ocean or of flowers, but blue of the clear sky on a sunny heartful day. He dried, then clothed her. Once finished, he stood aside to allow the master to exit first, once exited, he followed. While walking down the hallway, the young master asked, "What is on our agenda today?"

"Today, once your tutor leaves, we have a meeting with Police Cheif, Philip Hunter," the butler responded with a sigh.

The young master slightly smiled and said, "I could've sworn, that we have yet to do anything to get called upon by Hunter."

The butler thought of what they could've possibly done, for the letter did not specify of what they committed. Of course, they were planning on causing mischief in the city, such as terrorizing gangs along with innocent bystanders (accidentally of course) or frightening horses into running off without their coachman, but have yet to do so.

The butler shook his head, "I suppose we must find out for ourselves, if it's something not of our doing, then he must want us to do his bidding."

They arrived at the dining room, which contained a long, oval shaped table that could seat thirty me in total. The moment the master was seated, the butler hurried to the kitchen, to return in under a moment's notice, with tea and the master's main dish.

He then cleared his throat and said in a proud tone, "Today I have proved you French Bread, smoked ham, and freshly caught cod." He was hesitant on the meal's preparation, for he had never made any of those dishes before. The master ate slowly, as if she had till noon, he sighed in relief, it felt as if a heavy block of lead was just lifted from his chest, she seemed to be enjoying the meal. He walked to the main door, awaiting the tutor.

Time seemed to pass slower as it drained on, even the hands of the butler's watch seemed to slow. He was becoming impatient and anxious to to other tasks. He then found himself pacing in front of the door, he was losing time and patience, and when he was about to walk away from the door to tend the master, he heard the cry of a horse and the yelling of a man. He stood attentive at the door to be greeted by a short plump man, a couple of centimeters taller than the master.

The man asked for the master, the butler entered the dinning room to call upon the young master, she placed her utensils between twelve and ten o'clock, and walked out to greet the tutor. The butler then directed them to a large filled with books, books from all around the globe from various writers, the room was used for study and tutor purposes, and was referred as the study room.

Once they were escorted to the room the butler continued with his daily tasks which included: washing the bed sheets, wringing them out, and leaving them out to dry, dusting and sweeping the rooms and halls, polishing the silverware and dishes till they shined like the clear face of the moon, trimming the shrubs and flowers, and making sure that the tutor's horse was well tended to.

He finished the chores in a couple of moments- the usual time of his finish, the master jokingly tells the others that he works hastily and swiftly because if he doesn't work fast enough she wouldn't allow him to sleep on his won bed (though the butler did find the floor more fitting than his own bed). He then walked to the drawers, that greeted you to your left when you first enter the residency, opened the drawer on the bottom, and pulled out an object concealed in a rag. He seated himself to a chair in the dining room and removed the rag to reveal a knife, with a blade of about seventeen centimeters and covered in dust. The blade itself was made for stabbing a foe, but could be used to make shallow cuts with its edge. The blade itself seemed to gleam in the light, its handle made of gilded iron with the figure of a golden vulture perched at the end of the hilt.

He then pulled out a piece of clothing from his pocket, one he uses for cleaning his spectacles, though he never cared for them much, losing them quite often, and began to do his favourite chore of all, one he does after his time with the other chores.

He began to polish the blade, for whatever he may face in the city. He brought it up to his lips, then whispered to it saying, "We might get a chance to meet new people today, and you'll get to give them your special greeting."