Of Tea...and Things

An Introduction to Villainy

A dark mist carpeted the dank alley, driving the rats and other loathsome vermin that usually lurked therein scuttling in terror before it, before reassembling itself into the figment of a man, for it only looked the picture of what once it had been. Now it was so much more, or so it thought, though in truth it was nothing but a dark vapor, an empty shell, a fickle shadow. It hissed in irritation at the uppity little 'aunt,' and her antics, ruining his ambitions and endangering his orders; he shuddered at the latter, for failure was not an option in his particular line of work. But she couldn't keep him away from his quarry, he'd succeed in spite of the meddling Messenger, or perhaps because of her! This last thought made him smile, a hideous aberration in that joyless futility it called life, perhaps the very creature sent to protect his lordship would push him away from the very direction they hoped to herd him, like a pig unwilling to go in the one direction it was pushed. If he knew aught of Great Lords in particular and men in general, it was just the thing, just the thing indeed! And once his lordship was well in hand, then it was time for greater things. It would be a bright and glorious future indeed, nay a dark and dismal one, at least for the men of this wretched City!

As it excited the unpeopled little side street, the Thing formerly known as Ludwig nearly trampled a Gentleman on his prim and proper way somewhere very Standardish. The Thing spat at the man, "watch where you are going, oaf!"

"Dear me!" sputtered the Gentleman, adjusting his monocle, as if he had never seen rudeness before, "I say, have we met?" He shook his head grimly, as if reconsidering that dreadful fact, "never mind, I would be out of my wits to associate with such an uncouth personage! Good day to you!" Whereat, he turned briskly on his heel and marched off in the opposite direction, but that horrible fellow followed like a desperate dog.

"Forgive me sir!" spat the fiend, meaning no such thing but eager to reignite the acquaintance, "You are quite correct in your assumptions, and the fault was truly mine, but it was quite an accident, you understand, but quite a propitious one, if I might say so. You are just the man I was looking for, what say you to a short chat?, I am certain it would greatly benefit us both."

Feeling an evil pall suddenly enveloping him, something no mortal creature could resist, save to collapse in terror, Feldon immediately replied, "of a certainty sir, I do not see how I could decline. Lead on!" So it was they hastened off to a seedy little tavern, quirky enough that the gentlemen of the City thought it quite a fashionable haunt, at least for the last fortnight, so it was not too unseemly to see the two sequestered therein, it was just questionable enough to lend a little atmosphere of adventure and excitement to an otherwise tedious life, and gentlemen of fashion, lacking any other thrill or meaning or purpose, were quite desirous thereof.

"Of course I remember you," said Feldon, in guise as yet another old schoolmate, for he himself was long dead, at least to the knowledge of his apparent killer.

"I need your help in a little business with another old classmate," broached the Thing.

"It will be a regular reunion," grinned the First.

"Indeed," nodded the fiend encouragingly, "have you had aught to do with Lord Mulligan since we were boys?"

"I met him quite recently," said the Gentleman quite truthfully, "and we got along quite famously."

"Excellent," smiled the Thing, though it looked more a grimace, but we shall give him the benefit of the doubt, very un-Standard though it may be. "I'm afraid he's going to get himself in trouble," continued he, "for he's consorting with a lady of most unsavory character."

"What is that to us?" queried the First, "The dalliances of the Great are not for us to question."

"Nothing is known of the chit's history, Society has blacklisted her for very unseemly behavior, and her guardian is a known sorceress," confided his companion.