Arthur Kirkland was an ex-pirate who had everything. He had a huge mansion with more rooms than he would ever need. He had possessions of everything imaginable, numerous servants, and a few lap dogs to entertain him, but what he didn't have was someone to spend the cold nights with, someone to hold close and comfort him when he was lonely. A lover was something he needed. He finally convinced himself that he was ready to find someone to fill this empty home and the missing piece of his heart.
"How do you like your tea, Alistair?" inquired Arthur, as he stared at his brother from the corner of his eyes. "I'm sure it is to your liking. After all, it is one of the finest brews known to man." He lifted his own cup of tea to his lips, slowly sipping at the hot liquid, before placing the golden painted cup down upon the dish on the table in front of him.
"Aye, the tea is fine," replied the older red haired man with an obvious amount of disinterest with the current conversation. He narrowed his deep green eyes, of which ran in the family, crooking his head as if in deep thought. "So, brother. I know the once great Captain Kirkland did not call me here to chat about tea and cookies. Tell me, why exactly did you want me to come here in the first place? There's no real need to stall things. Get on with it."
"Oh, that's right. You've never been much for talking, have you? Always straight to the point," Arthur leered, huffing in retort. "Anyway, I called you here to do a job for me. There is something special that I am wanting that is particularly difficult to obtain by simply going to a store or by a mailing catalog."
Alistair furrowed his brows and leaned forward. "And I'm guessing it has to do with crime and possibly murder? Is it someone from our pirating days that's still getting under your skin even on land Or is it greed for more riches?"
Arthur shook his head and stood up from his chair, walking over to touch the mantle of the fireplace, as he stared into the burning flames. "It has nothing with our past, Alistair. And it does not have anything to do with crime or murder, as you suggest. I simply desire someone to share this house with, if you know what I mean. Perhaps someone beautiful and not too high in maintenance. Do you think you could find someone soon?" He turned slightly, eyeing Alistair.
"Let me get this straight.. You want me to find you a new squeeze toy who will also serve as arm candy during parties and the like?" Alistair propped his elbow on the chair arm and sighed.
"More or less, yes.." Arthur replied, reaching for a box of cigars, tossing them to his brother."If you are successful in finding someone worthwhile, I will pay you quite handsomely. More than you could ever spend on whiskey or your favorite brand of cigars."
"Well, I can't say that it isn't an appealing offer,"said Alistair, pulling himself from the chair. "I better start looking, then. I'll have someone for you before your upcoming party on Saturday night, and you can impress all your little rich friends."
Arthur smirked and nodded his head."Don't disappoint me. You only have one chance. Let's see if you can win the money, brother," he challenged, soon exiting the room, leaving Alistair to his own devices.
Alistair watched his younger brother leave. Finding someone that Arthur would like would probably be one of the hardest things he had ever done, even though he once was a fearful pirate in his own right. Love was nothing like fighting, but then again his brother had never uttered anything about love, he just wanted someone with the right qualities. Arthur had tastes that were impossible to be found in a person, in one single person. He was much too hard to please. To be honest, Alistair was dreading this already.
-
The streets were dark and dirty. Death was present among the many starving and sickly homeless villagers who huddled closely together next to the small fire that one of them had managed to build. One by one they fell into the unforgiving snow never to move again, never to dream of a better life like they had done so many times before.
Alfred coughed into his numbing hands and watched the small crowd of people that he barely knew mourn over the loss of their dead and dying friends. He felt guilty, but he knew that he may share the same fate as the others soon enough. The only thing that would be different is that he was alone here and had no friend to mourn over his body. No one would miss him and he would be one of those useless beings that existed for no reason at all.
"Am I going tonight or tomorrow?" Alfred whispered, wiping a single tear from his bright red cheek. He turned away from the fire and left from underneath the bridge of the village that protected many of the homeless from the falling snow, but not from the cold. With his death certain in his mind, Alfred decided it was best to pick a place where he could die so that no one could steal his clothing from his back, like many were now doing to the dead. Alfred didn't want his naked corpse to be made a mockery of, it disgusted him.
Making a turn into an abandoned street, Alfred stopped to rest against the side of a building. He wiped his nose and glanced around the area, seeing nothing. Soon his eye lids grew heavy, and he was about to fall into a slumber that he might not have awaken from when the noise of a carriage pulling up and stopping slightly in front of him caught his attention. He watched as a man dressed in black stepped down from the carriage.
"Let me have a bit of a look at you," spoke the accented voice of the red headed stranger, his movements staggering as he walked towards Alfred. "How old are you? Young enough? Old enough?"He grabbed Alfred's face and inspected it with critical eyes.
"What?"Alfred murmured, unable to think clearly enough to respond to this stranger's questions properly. He just blinked and stared upwards at the man with not a care in this world anymore.
"You could use a bath and something to eat, but I think you'll do," commented Alistair, pulling Alfred from the cold street and into the carriage."I've only got till tomorrow to have someone ready for Arthur, you will have to do. Listen to everything I tell you, and you will belong to one of the richest men in the country."
A/N: Enjoy! Oh, and by the way, Alistair is supposed to be Scotland..
