Distance Between Us

XIII

"Jack The Ripper Strikes Again, Ministry Denies Related With Charles Nixon's Realise From Ministry Custody"
 

"Are you ok? My lady?" Eddie asked her. Her face was flushed,  She opened her mouth to speak but a loud crash from outside. "Eddie is that the butler Lily sent over?" Katherine rubbed the sides of her face with irration. Eddie nodded 'Yes'
                   "Take care of it"
   Eddie slightly bowed and excused himself from the room. 
  She sat in the old study chair which her grandfather used to sit, were his grandfather used to sit. She'd there and thinking as she tossed the Ministry letter in the small garbage next to the big desk next to her. 
   Think of about whatever came up to escape from this hell she created. 
                       ~~♤~~
     Now you might think that the Larivnova Family Estate has many servants. 
   But you'd be wrong.
    After Grandpa Larivnova passed away. His servants we're dismissed, but Katherine had one servant remind. It was , but they call him old Jack. 
 Jekyll knew Katherine since she entered this world. He was like a second Grandfather to her. 
   But in this manor had one maid named Mey-rin. Mey-rin had aqua green hair, she wore it often in pigtails. Her large round spectacles covered her eyes.  She would try her best while dusting to not break anything that is of importance to her Mistress. 
    In the Larivnova estate had one cook named Bard. Bard was a decent cook. "What's on the menu tonight?" Mey-rin asked every night. He would scratch his head, and replie with a dish he's knew his Mistress wouldn't mind putting it in her mouth. When he's not in a rush, his food tastes good but when he wants things to cook faster, it would be like a marshmallow on fire. 
     One servant remained. The gardener. The gardener was a small boy named Finnian. He didn't mind the hard labor that came with the job. But just the suns ray's made him happy but not only that just being outside made his day. Hearing the birds charp, the goats scream was enough to bring a smile on his face.  
   Then their was that butler her Dear Aunt Lily sent over for Eddie to train. He'd 'fail' at something like making Tea, gardening last week he helped trimmed the trees into skulls.  
                          ~~♤~~
    Normally Katherine would be hunting this guy done but since taking over her Grandfathers company. Her free time had been strictly contributed to the company. 
        Partners worldwide wanted to meet and greet the young women whom took over the largest company in Europe,Russia, North and South America + Asia.
  The Larivnova Family dominated the oil industry, toys, building materials, along with renewable energy sources. 
        "Eddie what meetings do I have today?" She asked Eddie while he served her afternoon tea. "Sir Frances wants to make a deal with about the market in France" he spoke with an incapable noticeable English accent. "I assume he's a Frenchman but head of what branch in France?"
     "I believe it was the stuff animal department" 
   "France, didn't what sister of my mine said" she thought for a moment. "I apologize my lady but what heavens are you talking about", "Oh, I thought out loud, our guest should be here soon, you should go and make sure dinner is done along with over important preparations are done before our guest arrives" 
    "Yes, indeed my lady" 
    With that Eddie was dismissed from the room. But  before he left her alone to herself thinking. Katherine grabbed a dart for the bookshelf hand threw it at the back of his head. But it slid between his fingers. "I understand you're only entertainment is tormenting but lets save the games for later"
         "Indeed"
                        ~~ ♤ ~~
   The servants sat at the table in the kitchen pealing carrots. Mey-rin publishing up the sliver, Finnian helped Bard peeling vegetables while Jack sipped tea in the corner on his knees. 
   For today the household was rather normal.  Eddie walked in with his tux tail flowing behind him. "We had an unexpected guest coming today I'd like everyone to work extra hard Bard take you're time with dinner, Mey-rin please make sure the Victorian tea set is polished, Finnian make sure the garden is in top shape for tonight they will dine outside and Jekyll you're alright doing what you're doing now" Eddie sighed. His dark red eyes starred at each one of there souls.
                       ~~ ♤ ~~
      Eddie had the table cloth ironed so no wrinkle appeared, he checked Mey-rin's polishing up the silver making sure the silver was polished to perfection, he checked the white roses in the courtyard didn't have a bruise in sight.
    "Perfection" he whispheard to himself, admiring the work he and the staff had done. 
       The vegetables were peeled, a large slack of meat layed on the cutting board.
    When a bell rang from his Mistress. The bell rang underneath it simply read:
      'Basement' 
     "What in heaven gates is she doing now" he asked out loud. 
    "One thing about the Larivnova Family I've noticed over the years each one claimed a strange hobbies Jarry Larivnova found different cultures captivating, but her mother found Astronomy fascinating" Old Jack said. 
    Eddie nodded, it's been roughly a year since he started working for Katherine. She wasn't like others he had served. She was more complex, she waer masks hiding herself, sealing herself from humanity. 
                       ~~ ♤ ~~
    When he got to the  basement door, he heard a roar and a growl. He heard chopping and an explosion of some type. 
       He took a deep breath and walked slowly down the stairs with a tea set in his arms. Carefully he made it down. 
    He opened the door without hesitation. He saw Katherine riding a on back of a seahorse type creature's back. The creature had a muddy aqua color to its mane.  Katherine rode it like a horse, clinging on it's back but of moved like a dolphin. Going up then diving back down in the water. 
   Eddie walked down to a cluttered desk, a drawer had a bunch of envelopes with the Hogwarts crust on it. With Dumbledore's signature. But one with a signature reading Newt Scamander. 
   "Eddie!" Katherine shouted joyfully. She sat on the creature without any fear on her face. Her hair is completely down dripping in water. She wore a simple white dress shirt with a pair of dark black slacks, and a midnight blue  tux vest. 
    "Be careful Mistress" Eddie called out to her as she got down. A bird like thing flew above his head. 
     "Remember I told you that I'd found a Thunderbird". Eddie nodded slowly. "He seems to respond to Thomas" Katherine mentioned as she wiped down her hands. "Unfortunately it's not safe for him so it's been decided that hes going to pay a visit to an old friend of mine" she put the tea cup to her lips. Eddie shook of the shock he felt. "Ma'am, you should be getting ready for our guest" Eddie told her. She gave him a slight nod as she moved the tea cup from her lips to the small plate she held in her hand. "Yes, I shall you might as well looked over the rest of my staff making sure that Finnian didn't kill the plants along with Bard not burning the main course, prevent Mey-rin from breaking Granddads China". "Again" she added to her words. She placed on a black ring with a black stone giving off a purple shimmer on her ring finger. 
    Eddie quickly excused himself, and went running upstairs. 
    When he got upstairs he was greeted with a broken cabinet with glass around it, a burnt down kitchen along with a waste land garden looking like the plains in America. 
    "Now how did this happen?"
    "I thought things would grow a bit faster if a spayed them a bit more"
    "I was try'in to reach that tea set we use for guests but I tripped and the cabinet fell"
    "There was  alot of meat to cook for dinner it was going to take along time so I used me flamethrower"
     Finnian and Mey-rin cried "we're so sorry,we didn't me to" but Bard said it casually chewing on some hay. 
   'Our guest will arrive in two-hours'He thought as the staff begged for his forgiveness.
    "Calm down all of you, perhaps try to take a page out of Jekyll book, and start behave-listen everyone listen to everything I say" he caught a glimpse of Jekyll's tea label.
                       ~~ ♤ ~~
    Within minutes the staff stood in front of the estate, waiting for their guest. A carriage appeared. A man with broad shoulders and a stiff back walked out. He was tall and beefy. 
     "How impressive" The man grasped as be looked around the  garden. Wooden planks lead to the door, the staff of the estate stood and said "Welcome sir"
    "This is a stone garden traditional in Japan" Eddie informed him. The man shouted a French word then added "wonderful, truly an elegant garden" his light brown scarf bounced off her chest as he moved. "We thought it would be good to serve dinner outside, I hope you dont mind"Eddie smiled. The guest nodded "No problem it would have been a shame to eat indoors in such good weather".  
    "Allow Jekyll to escort you inside while dinner is being prepared"
      Jekyll lead the strange man from France into the estate. The guest chuckled "I should've espacted this from a Larivnova especially the famous Katherine Larivnova, I can't wait to see what in store"
      As soon as Jekyll closed the door behind them Bard, Mey-rin and Finnian breathed a sigh of realf. "This worked". "Who would thought that a dozen bags of gravel could turn into an amazing garden" Finnan mentioned as Eddie passed by. Eddie said "Naturally we would handle this we serve the Larivnova Family after all, there's still worked to be done now we shall not dally". "Yes sir"
                           ~~  ♤ ~~ 
   "Well soar my eyes"the man dropped his coat. A women with pale skin, dark black hair made her way down the steps.  She wore a tight white dress with a black blazer with white flowers in the corners. 
    "You must be Mr. Frances the gentleman whom been running the stuff animal department in France" She greeted him with a smile   as he kissed her soft knuckles. "Indeed my lovely lady"
      "I was informed briefly that dinner is in a bit of delay tonight,   I wondering if you'd play one of my favorite board games with me while we discuss business"
    "Lead the way me lady"
    They walked side by side up the stairs with vintage rug, painted portraits of the Larivnova Family over generations. 
    "As you know this company has been around since Queen Victoria" she started to speak. "And it remained in pure blood hands since then Intel my late grandfather he always said that you can't trust a pure blood nor a virgin"
   He questioned the word "Pure Blood?". "That's right never mind that pure blood thing" she chuckled. "Grand dad Larivnova was a crack head" Mr. Frances laughed as he took a glass of wine from Eddie, Katherine took the second glass of wine and held it in her hand. 
    They entered the  living room . It had pearl white French Victorian style to it. He sit down with his wine glass on the small table next to his chair, she walked to a shelf filled with many board games. She picked a box covered in dust. She blew the dust off it as she faced Mr. Frances. "Me and my sisters played this game over the holidays" she told Mr. Fraces. He nodded and asked " You have three other sisters". 
   Katherine set up the pieces ignoring his question. "You wanna go first or shall i?" She asked him, he gestured for her to take her turn. 
    "The progress in the east France is quite astonishing, we had the making of a top notch sta-"
    "Bewitched by the dead, what  terrible luck, it appears I lose a turn". Mr. Frances chuckled at her comment and said "Now is the perfect time to be expanding the company and build a strong labo-"
   "Go its you're turn" she interrupted him. He obeyed "Oh, yes I just spin this thing" he spun the cradle and moved his piece five spaces "Now what I wanted to ask you perhaps you could contribute twelve-thousand pounds to the expansion" . She looked at him in his eyes, she saw how he spoke he would shift himself. "I believe it would vary probable for you my Lady and I would consider it an honor to help with the expansion of the Larivnova Fa-"
  "Lose a leg in the enchanted forest", "huh?". "And I believe its you're turn as I recall I lost a turn last time, you dont remember". He nodded his head and he spun again as he moved his piece she spoke "I understand you're proposition honestly I'm quite uneasy about this but what can I say I've been working in law enforcement for the past few years you could say". "I move six"
   "You dont"
    "But it says"
    "You lost a leg, now you move half the number of spaces". He laugh once more "This is a gruesome board game this there no way for me to restore my leg ". Something about his laughter set mixed singles in Katherine's brain. 
   "I'm afraid when something is truly lost, one cannot regain it" Katherine grabbed his piece softly and politely oug of his hand "You're body is burnt by raging flames" she placed the piece on the board near a painted body tied to a wooden poll being burned alive. Her deep blue eyes starred at him, her pupils seemed like small black dots in an ocean of deep blue.
                          ~~ ♤ ~~
    Bard started to cut of the brunt part of the meat. Eddie passed by and asked "how is it going?". "Doing it like you said" Bard replied. He held the part that was is raw "is this what you what?". Eddie simply nodded.
     "EDDIE!!!!"
     Mey-rin shouted as she ran with nine boxes in her hands. "FOUND THEM" she yelled happily. She tripped over her shoelace. Eddie was quick to respond, he had all the boxes perfectly balanced in one hand,  Mey-rin ran into him. Her spectacles fogged up, her face grew hotter and hotter as he spoke "How many times have a told you to be more careful"
  She quickly backed up as her nose began to bleed. "Well done everyone leave ths rest to me, relax for a bit but do really well during dinner"
                          ~~ ♤ ~~ 
   Eddie opened the door to the living room to find his Master and her guest in silence. "Dinner is now being served" he informed them.  "Oh,dining in that exclusive stone garden shall we go my Lady". "Alright, we'll finish the game later". "Oh, is there any reason to finish it, it's a obvious I'm gonna lose". 
    Katherine stood up and spoke "I'm not in the habit of doing things halfway through". 
   She started to walk to the door when Mr. Frances muttered "How childish" under his breath without his accent. That caught her ear, he tried to play it off by saying "I mean it takes a child's eyes to see what's really important, it's a true gift maybe that's why the Larivnova's had this company for such a long time".
   The tension grew between them, Eddie starred at the man with his cold red eyes, Katherine gave him a slight nod. 
                      ~~  ♤  ~~
        Outside, the stars are out. Twinkling in the dark blue almost black sky.  Mr. Frances looked down at his meal in shock and said "A pile of raw beef".
    "But surely you have heard of it, my good sir this is a true Japanese delicacy, sign of someone's major accomplishments"
     Mr. Frances took one bite and fell in love. "It's in my behalf to show my Father,my three beautiful sister and I appreciate you're hard work in the Larivnova Family company" Katherine mentioned.
   "The legendary Larivnova hostility at its fullest" the guest gleamed in happiness. 
     "The wine we've chosen is to complement the flavor of you're meal" Eddie guested as Mey-rin as she walked in with a bottle of wine. "Mey-rin"
    Her glasses broke a little more but she managed to get to the guests side of the table. She shacked as she poured the guest his wine, some splattered on the white table cloth. 
    Quickly Eddie removed it without anything moving. As Mr. Frances finished his dinner he noticed the table cloth disappeared. Katherine simply explained to him "A spect of dirt, I had the cloth removed so it wont distract you". Eddie bowed his head, he stood by Katherine's side "Please take my apology dear sir do continue".
    Before Frances put the wine to his lips he asked Katherine "Why aren't you drinking?". "Honestly I hate the taste of alcohol plus I have to simply get up in the morning".
                       ~~ ♤ ~~
      "That was an enjoyable dinner my lady" he told Katherine as they walked upstairs, they walked arm in arm. Her dress hit his legs as they walked back to the living room. 
   "Now about the contract?" He asked as they both sat back down at their seats before dinner. "Before we discuss that we should finish the game".
    "Uh?, yes, of course, but I do have a pressing appointment perhaps an-"
    "Children can be demanding of their games and as you said that I'm childish surely you dont want me to get upset" a smirk grew on her face. 
       "No, of course not, would you mind me using you're telephone?" 
   Eddie walked in as Frances left to use the telephone. Katherine held the teacup in her hand. "What is this, it smells terribly weak" she noticed.
     "Out of consideration I brought some Italian tea", "Italian?"
     "Italians drink more coffee than tea, ma'am "
      "Right, coffee i had some when I was in the states it was truly disgusting and disappointing, hopefully dessert is more enjoyable for our guest, showing every bit of my Grandfathers famous hostility"
                          ~~ ♤ ~~ 
     Down a few floors, Frances talked on the phone "I'm tired of babysitting, are you sure shes the better Purr out of the 4 of them, yes I already have the deal but life me see how much more I can get from this foolish Larivnova" he smoked a cigar. 
   He turned his face around to see what made a crashing nose. "Huh, oh nothing just the wind"
   Mr. Frances began his long walk back to the room. By the grand stairs he noticed a painted portrait of a women with dark black hair and blue eyes, and a man with blonde hair next to her with anthor man with a young child on his lap. The man looked like a Male version of the women, along with the child but a younger version of the two.
     An unsettling feeling filled his bones as he passes it. He couldn't help but see them bleeding to death. "Bewitched by the dead" echoed in his ear but he shook his head at the idea. He walked in the long narrow hallway. He opened and closed doors as he looked for the living room. "Bewitched by the dead" reached in the hallways.
   Creek and crack echoed making Frances run the opposite direction and he let out a scream.
    "Wasn't that pur guest" Finnian asked Bard as the moved the table from dinner back where it belongs. "Hurry up we dont want Eddie to yell along with Mis. Larivnova's rage"
   Mey-rin thought about how close Eddie got to her she finished up her evening chore her nose began to bells once more.
      While Frances continued running. Another voice spoke "Lose a Leg"
     He screamed as he fell down a bunch of stairs. He could barely feel one of his legs. "Sir are you alright?" Mey-rin asked him 
    Hus right leg was twisted up. Bard and Finnian asked "What's srong with him?" As Frances crawled away from them.
     He crawled on his hands and knees wondering thought the mansion, trying to find an exit.  Her butler stood at the end of the hallway. "You lost a leg you can only move half the number.of spaces remember?" He smiled at The conman. 
     Frances ran and closed a door behind him. Leaning on the door, he breathed heavy. The room he got himself into was to dark to see but he hears footsteps. He hid in what sames to be a cabinet.
      A crawled as he heard the door open. Sweat dripped down his forehead, the temp seemed to be rising.
      A slit in the oven Frances sat in opened. The red eyes of the Butler was his only sight "We have an inpatient guest you couldn't have waited Intel desert was out of the oven" the butler spoke.
                 "The Oven!?!?!?!?"
     "Let me out" he demanded as he began to pound on the steel door. "Perhaps the Italian aren't informed about our customs there's plum pie, meat pie and many others in England  cuisine that have the use of meat, I find them rather tasty"
      Frances pounding became weaker by the minute as the temp rises. The butler closed the small silt.
    Frances let out a scream.  
    "Was that a scream?" Bard questioned as he tented to the fire outside with Finnian. The butler had a pie one tray.
    "Thanks for you're hard work today heres some lemon Marine pie the sugar will give you energy"
      Finnian grabbed the pie and thanked Eddie.
    "Bard, a work men will be coming to clean  our oven tomorrow" he informed Bard.
       Katherine Larivnova stood in front of her window with her owl on her arm eating its dinner as she pet its feathers. She saw a man limping in the distance. 
 "Mr. Frances I hoped that you enjoyed you visit and the Larivnova hostility down to you're bones"
   Then an scream filled her ears in joy. She couldn't help but chuckle "what an unattractive scream". Katherine tied a bow on a package with a letter tucked away on top. 
     "He almost sounds like a pig taken off to  slaughter"
         The evening wind blew in her face as she opened the window.  
      "What presumption, first he sells the east France factory without telling me,then he dare go ask for more money. Did he think to retain my trust"
    The owl, Katherine's oldest friend took flight on this sad midnight sky.She saw her feathery friend with big yellow eyes shine in the moonlight. 
       "I'm afraid once truly lost, one can never regain"