Silver Wings

A Godchild Fanfiction

Original characters and concept by Kaori Yuki

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Chapter 1

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Springtime in London wasn't a particularly cheery time of year. The month of March was plagued with cloudy days and rainy nights. A fog always shrouded the city; spring never seemed to have arrived at all. Women sent children to school wearing amulets that warded away ailments such as possessive spirits or the sniffles. Then they would don their own amulets and sit in front their altars, praying to the Catholic icons for protection against the evils of dreary March. Some men wouldn't work during March; they all feared another factory accident like the one that occurred twenty years before during that cursed month.

"Demons love to play during March," women chided to each other. "The fog makes it easier for them to hide."

However, on March 15th, the Ides of March, there was no rain. The clouds parted above London, and the sun's rays stretched to the ground for the first time since October. Early that morning, the wet roads began to dry; the spring flowers at long last opened their petals; the first arrivals among the flocks of birds perched on the tree branches and broke the silent air with their crisp songs.

The Hargreaves estate seemed to have come alive with the arrival of the sun. The vast, vivid green gardens were buzzing with maintenance employees. All the drapes were drawn back to fill the cold manor with the spring light. The maids cheerfully plucked varieties of blossoms from the gardens to arrange into decorative bouquets. Overseeing the whole business from the garden path was a young earl, Cain Hargreaves, and his manservant, Raffit "Riff" Riffuel.

"The staff seem to have woken up," Cain smiled. "Wouldn't you agree, Riff?" The tall, silver-haired servant nodded his head slowly. Cain adjusted the top hat sitting upon his dark hair. "Somehow, I can't believe how quickly spring arrived this year." He tapped his cane on the cobblestones. "Even the blue roses have opened up." Riff listened silently to his master. The sudden arrival of spring made his sinuses throb and his eyes sore from so many smells and colors all at once; nevertheless, he followed Cain outside to accompany him on his walk through the garden.

Cain closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He couldn't remember when the last warm March day had come, and he was going to enjoy the fresh weather for as long as he could.

"…My heart that I wound when I was too reckless,

I'll embrace it, for the reborn me…"

Cain suddenly stopped on the path. A woman's song? He quickly turned to a group of three young maids picking daisies, but none of them were singing. He sought the other maids with his eyes, but they were the only women in the garden.

'So strange,' he thought. 'I must be hearing things again.'

"…I hope snow will fall upon us soon everywhere,

The whole world veiled in white…"

Cain let his cane fall to the ground as he slowly followed the singing voice. Riff, alarmed by his lord's sudden trance, trailed behind the earl.

"L-lord Cain," he stammered. "Lord Cain, where are you going?"

"…A tragedy repeating again and again."

The voice stopped. Cain blinked his eyes several times.

'Did I imagine that?' he wondered. Riff softly tapped Cain's arm.

"Lord Cain," he said." The young earl turned to his servant with curious eyes. Riff presented the dropped cane to his master. "You dropped this, Sir." Cain took back his cane, sighing loudly. He had yet to find the source of the song, and he was sure now that he was hallucinating. After all, there were only three women in the garden.

"Thank you, Riff," he muttered, still puzzled by the song. "Let's go now." He shook his head and stepped forward. Suddenly, he stumbled backwards, and a he heard a woman's squeak.

'There's someone there!' he gasped. 'I heard her! She's here!'

"I-I'm sorry, Sir!"

Cain leaned on his cane to regain his footing. A slight breeze wafted the smell of papaya roses beneath his nose. Soft hair tickled his chin, bringing a light flush to his cheeks. Cain squinted his eyes for a long time, trying to see the mystery woman before him hidden in light. At last, the light faded, and a beautiful young woman was kneeling at his feet, watching his eyes.

"Sir, are you alright?" she asked in a soft voice. Cain gasped in surprise. The woman was wreathed in a warm glow, her vivid green eyes sparkling in the spring light.

"Mo…Mother," Cain whispered. The woman laughed softly to herself.

"Mother?" she giggled. "I'm afraid not, Sir. I only have one daughter to claim as my child." Cain shook his head. She couldn't be… No, it just wasn't possible! Cain held his hand out to her.

"Lord Cain," Riff murmured uneasily. "What are you doing? There's no one there?" The woman grasped Cain's gloved hand with a quick nod of approval.

"My, you're a polite young man," she smiled. "I suppose I should introduce myself?" Cain took back his hand.

"Allow me." He swept the top hat from his head in a dramatic bow. "I am Earl Cain Hargreaves." The woman giggled quietly. Cain looked up beneath his eyelashes. "Is something amusing, Miss?" he asked. The lady shook her head in reply, stifling her laughter. Cain's dramatic introduction hadn't brought about her giggles; in fact, Riff's puzzled expression behind Cain made her laugh.

"My name is Lady Heather Morning," the young woman replied, lifting her skirts in a slight curtsy. "I am the wife of Lord Alexander Morning." Cain's eyes widened as her voice struck his memory.

"I know about the Morning family," he said, replacing the hat back on his head. "I studied them as a young boy." Suddenly, Riff gripped Cain's shoulder.

"Lord Cain, this isn't amusing anymore," he said. "Why are you talking to the air?" Cain tapped his chin in thought.

"Can't you see her?" he asked. "You were rather rude in not introducing yourself to Lady Heather." Riff shook his head, and Heather watched them with interest. Cain closed his eyes, and he breathed deeply; his theory was correct. "He cannot see her," he murmured to himself, "because she is a ghost."