Returning To Heaven
"I need my shirt pressed; my jacket has a blood stain and find my good silver cuff links."
"Yes Sir"
The young Earl's manservant left without a moment's hesitation to complete the tasks his master assigned to him.
Cain Harsgreaves, a young 17 year old man, living in his father's estate in the heart of London, England. Also, the illegitimate child of his father Alexis and his aunt, and also, the earl of poisons. He sat in his favorite chair and rubbed his temples. The party he was going to attend this evening was making him stressed out. His friend, Oscar Gabriel investigated some of the other people rumored to be also attending the party and he found some very dismal news… Tonight, there was going to be an attempt on the young Earl's life.
This wasn't the first time something like this happened. After so many years of hearing this, Cain smiled at the threats and shrugged them off with a smirk on his face and a glint in his beautiful green and gold eyes. His situation tonight however was different. The would-be assassin was incredibly skilled. He was known throughout London as "The Raven".
Meanwhile, Riff was in the basement, instructing the other servants to clean Cain's jacket and press his white shirt. He was incredibly disappointed to see that the ladies were not doing any work when he arrived. After stressful yelling, telling them to do their job, or be kicked back onto the streets, Riff went back upstairs and into Cain's bedroom to find the ever elusive silver cuff links.
Riff searched through Cain's dresser drawer until he found them. They were the square silver cuff links with the diamonds in the middle. Cain wore these to formal events to mark his status in society and also because they were his father's before he 'died'. Riff set the cuff links in his pocket, grabbed the piece of cloth and the silver polish.
Cain was still sitting in his chair, dosing lightly when there was a light knock on the door. Riff was on the other side, a platter of tea and scones balanced on one hand, and knocking with the other. He listened quietly, but heard no indication from his master, not to enter, so he proceeded through the threshold. He set the tea down on the small end table next to Cain and lightly put a hand on his master's shoulder. Cain's green eyes immediately shot open, and he lurched forward in his chair, searching the room for a possible attacker. He looked around and only saw Riff, and let out a long sigh.
"I'm sorry to startle you my Lord, I had no ill intentions."
"Yes, I know Riff… thank you" Cain said as his tea was poured.
The grey haired man set the steaming liquid down on the table which Cain took up immediately.
"Lord Cain, I found your cuff links and your shirt is being pressed as we speak"
Cain swallowed his sip of tea and was silent for a moment.
"Thank you Riff… I don't know what I would do without you…"
Riff smiled, he knew it was his job to protect and serve Cain Harsgreaves until the day he died. And Riff loved every minute of it. Over the many years, he had become very attached to his young master. He truly loved him very much. The two sat in silence for a while, Riff polishing the links, and Cain sipping his tea. After a few more moments of silence, Cain finally said;
"I'm expecting Oscar to come over… He is to inform me more about the party tonight."
"Yes my lord, I shall tell the other servants to be awaiting Lord Gabriel's arrival."
Cain set his cup down for Riff to refill it as he nibbled elegantly on a scone. Riff filled the white tea cup and finished polishing Cain's cuff links. When both were done, Riff set the now shining cuff links on the table and cleaned up the tea. He left Cain to ponder about the evening's possible upcoming events. Cain busied himself with a book of poisons and their antidotes, mindlessly flipping through the pages. After an hour, a knock was heard through the living room.
"Come in!" Cain called, setting the book down on the end table. Oscar barged through the door, in his favorite suit, huffing and puffing like a mad man. Cain poured his friend a glass of brandy and he drank it down immediately.
"Ugh" Oscar exclaimed as he set the small crystal glass down on the table.
"Any news Oscar?"
"No… but I have solidified my theory of it being 'The Raven'" Oscar said, pouring himself another glass.
"I see…" Cain said with a dismal look upon his elegant face. "Well, thank you for doing that… and if you're ready, I'll leave and have Riff help me get prepared to leave."
"Oh, sure... sure" Oscar smiled, "Just one more glass first."
Cain shook his head in disgust and walked out of the room and down the hall. Just as the young earl thought, Riff was waiting in his bedchamber, with a clean shirt and jacked laid out on the large bed. Riff dutifully helped his master get dressed and the three left the mansion together for the party. Upon their arrival, they were greeted warmly by the host and his wife. They were brought drinks by the servants of the house, but Riff made sure he was always by Cain's side in case of an attack… They knew "The Raven" would be here… and he would be scavenging for his prey. Three hours later, Oscar was long gone, off somewhere flirting with Lord Walker's youngest daughter.
"Riff, I'm going to talk with Lady Hampstead, feel free to wander about."
"Thank you my Lord, please be careful."
"Yes, yes Riff, I shall." Cain replied as he walked away, but Riff still kept a protective eye on his master.
They never knew that across the room, Alexis, better known on the streets as "The Raven" was loading a small hand gun. Riff began to worry. He had a bad feeling and walked closer to Cain, but still keeping out of eyesight. Some wealthy land owner's daughter asked him to dance, but he politely refused… he had more important things to do.
Cain was still chatting and Riff was getting more worried by the moment. Riff was looking through the crowd, looking for anyone suspicious… and he found them.
He saw Alexis, holding a gun, pointing right at his own son. In a panic Riff pushed the crowds aside to get to his master.
"My Lord!" Riff shouted, drawing Cain's attention away from the beautiful young lady. A single shot was fired… and someone was condemned to die…
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In an instant, Riff was standing in front of Cain, blood dripping down the back of his clean white shirt and jacket. Cain just stood there, Riff's heavy arms, resting upon his shoulders, mouth agape and eyes wide in shock and terror. Riff leaned down and placed a kiss on Cain's forehead. His crimson blood dripping down Cain's face and nose.
"Forgive me… Cain" Riff said with a glassy look in his eyes as he saw his master for the last time. His eyes closed, and Riff slumped to the floor.
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Someone called the police to take Riff's body away. Oscar hauled Cain home, the younger man still crying hysterically. Oscar brought him into the living room, sat him in his favorite chair and poured him a large glass of rum. Cain was lost in his own little world… He couldn't believe his favorite servant, his friend… his Riff, was really gone. It just couldn't be possible. Oscar sat with Cain, but didn't say anything. After moments of unbearable silence, Cain said quietly,
"Oscar… leave me."
Oscar stood up, clasped a firm, warm hand on his friends shoulder and walked out. As soon as the door clicked shut, Cain jumped to his feet and went to his cabinet that held all his poisons. He searched frantically for the right one, throwing all the others over his shoulder, letting the glass vials shatter to the floor, and their precious ingredients be contaminated. He found the desired bottle and took it back to his seat. He poured the entire bottle of hemlock into his glass of rum and drank it down in one gulp.
The last thing Cain heard as he died was the diamond, falling out of his left cuff link, and smashing on the floor.
Cain… the child cast out of heaven for being evil. Able always was the favorite. Is this hell? Who knows… I was cast out of heaven by my father… just like Cain from the Bible, but that doesn't matter. For I found my new heaven… with you Riff. Soon, I shall be with you again, and we shall live in heaven together forever… I promise.
Cain exhaled his last breath as his eyes slowly closed. The Earl of Poisons, Cain Harsgreaves was let through the doors of heaven once again, and he would reside there with the one who would love him more than anything else… Forever.
-Fin-
(A/N: Whoa, that was long… my longest yet actually. I'm really happy with the way this came out, and its all thanks to my editor Michelle… thank you again for being a wonderful friend and being awesome at English. XD lol, but really, thank you for reading this, Reviews are love, and they mean a lot. I hope you all enjoyed this. Also, a little history lesson… the LEFT cuff link is significant… the church believes the left side of the body represents evil, so Cain being the evil-er of the two, well yeah…. Ok, I'm done ranting…)
Love, x012587Genin