Europe / British Empire / London (Ainsworth Estate / Stafford Castle / Pembroke Residence): June 6th, 1817.
It was a beautiful day for the world. The birds were chirping their songs as mankind went about their daily routines with smiles on their faces at the beauty of the city, but also sad looks on their faces at the horror of it whether it be financially, emotionally or physically, yet if you were to look closely in london. To be more specific, Inside three different noble homes. You would see the aftermath of a single night moving faster than any carriage could.
The atmosphere was quiet.
Too quiet.
Which meant something had already begun.
(Mordred's POV)
The study was silent.
Smoke moved slowly near the ceiling as I sat behind the desk with a cigar in my right hand and a stack of papers in front of me.
The sun had already risen.
The city outside was awake.
London had survived the night.
Unfortunately for london.
So had I.
"Hm…" I said muttering while feeling the edge of a sealed letter with my left hand.
The ball had ended hours ago, yet the sound of that room still remained.
Whispers.
Fans.
Glass.
The queen's voice.
Mary's voice.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
*Boom*
The study door opened without permission.
"HEHEHEHEHE." Said margaret laughing loudly as she entered with her cane in her right hand and a fan in her left.
I did not look up.
"You don't have to be so loud. I can guarantee my hearing is twice as better than all of you." I said calmly while signing the bottom of a document.
Margaret waved her fan and said with delight "Boy, london is already choking on your mess. I heard three versions of the engagement before breakfast and one of them had you dueling four men blindfolded for mary's hand."
The study was silent.
"I am already blind. That would be redundant." I said calmly while Inhaling from the cigar and exhaling a cloud of smoke from my nose.
Margaret stared at me for a moment and said "That is what you chose to focus on."
"Yes." I said calmly.
Margaret snorted and sat down in a chair across from the desk while saying "You publicly chained yourself to a wounded stafford girl in front of the queen and you're sitting here doing paperwork like you ordered bread."
"Paperwork will not complete itself due to social noise." I said calmly as I dipped the pen into the inkwell.
The study was completely silent.
Footsteps sounded in the hallway.
Vladimir entered next with his jacket half buttoned and a grin far too wide to be innocent.
"London is talking." Said vladimir with a laugh as he sat on the arm of the couch.
I glanced up at his silhouette for a moment an said calmly "London always talks."
"Not like this. One man at the club said you claimed her like a conqueror. Another said she accepted because you terrified her. Another said the queen smiled because she wanted to see what would happen." Said vladimir Immediately with excitement in his voice.
Margaret leaned back with a grin and said with both her arms spread "The queen did want to see what would happen. Old women love storms when their roofs are strong enough."
The room was silent.
Svyatapolk entered with a proud posture and a large smile while saying loudly "GYAHAHA. I knew my bloodline would rise again. I could feel it last night. The room trembled when our name was spoken."
I lookedin his direction.
The study was absolutely silent.
"You trembled when adelaide told you not to drink a fourth glass of champagne now stay silent you rat." I said calmly with a hard wave of my right hand.
Vladimir burst out laughing.
Svyatapolk's smile twitched and said with a dry, hard cough "That…is…that is because I respect my wife."
"Fear is also a form of respect when weak people say it." I said calmly as I sat the pen down onto my desk.
Svyatapolk's face turned ugly.
Before he could speak, adelaide entered behind him and said calmly "He is correct."
Svyatapolk closed his mouth and sighed.
Abigail entered last with Ivan beside her.
Her face was pale, tired and beautiful in the way a person looked after spending a entire night realizing cages had different shapes.
Ivan looked refreshed.
"Family meeting." Said margaret suddenly from out of nowhere with a smile as she tapped her cane against the floor.
*Tak*
The study was silent.
I leaned back in the chair and said calmly with squinted eyes "Yes. Since all of you decided to enter my study like cattle escaping a fence, we might as well proceed."
Abigail's eyes narrowed and said "You made another woman suffer what you made me suffer."
The study went quiet.
Ivan's smile faded slightly.
Vladimir looked away.
Adelaide's face became unreadable.
Margaret's fan stilled.
"Here we go again, the pacifist who just can't help herself" I thought with a sigh, wanting to laugh but restrained myself.
I stared at abigail's silhouette for a moment and said calmly "Incorrect."
Abigail clenched her fists and asked with cold eyes "How is it incorrect."
"Mary stafford was already on the battlefield before I announced anything. I only altered the direction of the arrows." I said calmly with one of my eyes closing as I inhaled from the cigar and exhaled a cloud of smoke from my nose.
Abigail looked disgusted and asked "That is supposed to make it better."
"No. It is supposed to make it accurate." I said calmly while pointing the cigar straight at her.
The study was silent. The atmosphere heavy.
Abigail stepped forward and said with a very trembling voice "You do not understand how it feels to have your life decided in a room before you even enter it."
I was silent for a moment and placed both hands on the desk along with the cigar and stood up.
The chair slid back slightly.
*Skrrt*
"Do not assume your suffering is unique because you have not learned to process it efficiently." I said calmly with both of my eyes squinting very coldly.
The room became silent.
Heavy.
Abigail's eyes widened.
Adelaide immediately said with wide eyes "Mordred."
I held up my right hand.
The room went silent.
I looked toward abigail's silhouette and said calmly while pointing at her "Your marriage to Ivan gave you protection, status and a position that you can either use or cry inside of. Mary stafford's public attachment to me gave her value in a room that was preparing to reduce her to pity. Neither of you were treated kindly. Kindness was never the objective."
Abigail's eyes filled with anger.
"And what was the objective." Asked abigail softly.
"Survival with leverage." I said calmly while still pointing at her with my right finger.
The study was silent.
Ivan chuckled softly and said "That is a very cruel way to explain care."
I glanced toward him and said calmly "Do not confuse utility with care. They occasionally overlap, but they are not the same thing in the slightest on a deeper level."
Ivan's smile grew thinner.
"Careful, brother in law." Said Ivan softly with his eyes squinting.
I picked up the cigar from the desk and inhaled from it before exhaling smoke through my nose.
"Careful is for people who still think falling is optional. I've hardly cared for the word when it is not necessary." I said calmly with a sigh as I inhaled from the cigar again and exhaled a cloud of smoke from my mouth.
Margaret smiled widely.
"That sounds like something a villain would say." Said vladimir with a mutter and a loud chuckle that was a little to loud for my liking.
The room was silent.
I looked toward him.
He looked away.
"Anyway." Said vladimir quickly while adjusting his collar.
I sat back down and picked up a folded paper while saying calmly "Anyways…now that all useless emotion has been expressed, we move forward."
Abigail's face darkened Immediately.
Adelaide looked at abigail's face for a long moment and sighed.
"The engagement is public. The queen gave her blessing. The staffords did not deny it. That means the connection is fixed unless someone powerful enough wants to look foolish by breaking it." I said calmly while shuffling through the papers.
"And if mary refuses later." Asked abigail with sharp eyes.
"Then she will refuse with a master plan. Not a tantrum unlike a certain someone I know." I said calm but Immediately.
Abigail was silent.
Good. At least that reached her to keep silent when her speaking isn't needed.
I tapped the document for a moment and said calmly "London reacted faster than expected. Which means enemies will begin moving today. Not tomorrow. Today."
Vladimir's face turned serious.
Margaret nodded with expectation.
Ivan's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Who." Asked Ivan calmly.
"Everyone with something to gain. Pembroke. Stafford rivals. Men who refused mary and now look weak. Women who envy her sudden importance. Banks. Brokers. Brothel owners. Russian watchers if they followed the noise far enough." I said calmly.
The study was silent.
Svyatapolk swallowed slightly and asked with gritted teeth "Russian watchers."
I leaned back and said calmly "Did you think crossing water turned history into ash."
Svyatapolk was completely silent.
Excellent.
"Vladimir." I said calmly while glancing at his silhouette.
Vladimir straightened.
"Move the guards around the first two properties. Do not let the same men stand in the same place for more than two nights. Rotation. Watch for men asking questions near the workers." I said calmly with squinted eyes as I tapped the table lightly.
"Got it." Said vladimir with a nod.
I glanced at margaret and said calmly "Aunt margaret."
Margaret smiled and said "Yes little freak."
"The women and runners in the brothels will hear things faster than servants. I want every whisper brought back. Names. Debts. Affairs. Gambling. Illness. Servants dismissed suddenly. Anything strange." I said calmly as I continued to tap the desk lightly.
Margaret's grin widened.
"Now that is music to my old." Said margaret with delight.
"Mother." I said calmly.
Adelaide looked at me.
I stared at her silhouette for a moment and said calmly "Attend social calls with abigail when it is necessary. She needs practice surviving rooms without looking hunted."
Abigail flinched.
Adelaide nodded slowly and said with a smile "I will."
"Ivan." I said while glancing at his silhouette.
Ivan's eyes settled on me.
"You will not act as if this family can still be separated from yours. Any attempt to pull away now will make you look guilty and me annoyed." I said calmly with a look that he could read in a instant.
Ivan chuckled softly and asked "And which is worse."
"Mordred annoyed." Said margaret, vladimir and adelaide at the same time.
The study was absolutely silent.
Ivan looked between them and laughed while saying "Very well."
I looked back down at a a document in front of me and picked up another paper while saying calmly "Svyatapolk."
Svyatapolk immediately brightened.
"Yes. Yes my son." Said svyatapolk with a wide smile.
I was silent for a moment.
"Do nothing." I said calmly while sitting the paper aside and stamping it.
*Bam*
His smile faded.
The room was silent.
Svyatapolk opened his mouth.
Adelaide looked at him.
He closed it.
"Excellent." I said calmly.
Abigail shook her head and said with a mutter and sigh "This family is mad."
"Correct." Said margaret appearing from out of nowhere right next to her.
The study was silent.
I looked toward the window and thought "The ball was entry. The next phase is reaction."
*Knock* *Knock*
"Enter." I said calmly.
A male servant entered and bowed while saying with closed eyes "Master ainsworth. A letter has arrived from one of the carriage boys assigned near the pembroke residence."
The room went still.
Excellent.
I held out my hand.
The servant placed the folded letter into my palm.
I broke the seal and ran my fingers across the raised ink and paper as I stared up at the roof.
"Hm…" I said calmly with a mutter.
"What does it say." Asked vladimir with a very serious look on his face with very creased eyebrows.
I said nothing for a moment.
My lips curled very slightly.
"Julian pembroke has sent men to ask about us." I said calmly with closed eyes.
The study was silent.
Abigail's face tightened.
Vladimir smiled.
Margaret laughed quietly.
Ivan's expression sharpened.
Svyatapolk looked nervous.
Adelaide closed her eyes.
"Russia. Fletcher. Ainsworth. Stafford accident. Debts. Servants. The old woman. The blind man." I said calmly while tracing my fingers over the paper
Margaret's smile slowly faded and said with a very serious look on her face "That little boy is digging."
"Let him." I said calmly.
Everyone looked at me.
I folded the letter and placed it on the desk while saying calmly "London has started reacting. This is very good."
The study went absolutely silent.
I smiled even wider. A little to wide and said while licking my lips "Now we know where to step."
(Stafford Castle / Mary's POV)
Mary sat near the window with a shawl around her shoulders and a cup of tea growing cold beside her.
Her face hurt.
Her throat hurt.
Her entire body was tired in a way that made sitting upright feel like an argument.
But pain was information.
The morning light moved across the room and landed on the covered mirror.
Mary stared at it for a long moment and said with w mutter "Mordred Ainsworth."
The room was silent.
"That kind of name belongs to a man that irritating" Thought mary softly with a sigh.
*Boom*
Elizabeth entered with her cane, followed by edith, edward and oswald.
Mary did not stand. Everyone noticed but no one commented.
Elizabeth walked to the center of the room and said with cold eyes "London knows."
Mary took the tea and looked into it as she said nonchalantly "It can die for all I care."
"Darling." Said edith softly as she sat beside her.
Mary glanced at her and said with a sigh "Mother, please don't darling me too hard today. My head hurts."
Edith's face trembled between worry and something close to helpless amusement.
Edward stood stiffly with his hands behind his back and said coldly "I should have stopped him."
"No. You should have prepared better." Said mary softly.
The room went silent.
Edward's face tightened.
Oswald's eyes moved toward mary.
Elizabeth smiled faintly.
"He did not win because he was stronger. He won because he understood the room faster than everyone else. That is worse. And useful but not stupid." Said mary calmly as she toyed with a gold, heavy diamond necklace in her hand.
Edith looked hurt and asked "Useful."
"Yes mother. Useful" Thought mary with a sigh.
The room was silent.
Elizabeth walked closer and said calmly "You understand then."
Mary looked at her.
"I understand that denying it makes me look dragged. Accepting it too sweetly makes me look conquered. Silence makes me look chosen. Anger makes me look honest. Strategy makes me alive." Said mary nonchalantly.
Elizabeth's eyes brightened and she said with a smile "There she is."
Mary hated how much she liked hearing that.
Edward sat down heavily in a chair and rubbed his forehead.
"You should not have to think like this after what happened." Said edward with a very cold look in his eyes.
Mary's eyes went even colder as she said And yet here we are because of you."
The room was silent.
Oswald stepped forward and asked calmly with his arms behind his back "What do you intend to do."
Mary slowly opened the fan in her hand.
*Fak*
"First. I will not cry where anyone can hear it. Second. I want the accident investigated." Said mary calmly with her lip curling slightly.
Edward looked up sharply.
Edith went pale.
Elizabeth was silent.
Oswald's face hardened.
"You think it was not an accident." Asked oswald calmly with a serious look in his eyes.
Mary looked toward the covered mirror and said calmly as she crossed her right leg over the left "I think people speak around it like it has not happened. A little to casual don't you all agree."
The room went still.
Edith sighed and said with a whisper "Mary…"
"I remember pieces. Not enough. But enough to know everyone is afraid of asking the correct question." Said mary Instantly with a cold look in her eyes.
Edward's jaw clenched.
Elizabeth said nothing for a moment and then asked "And what question is that."
Mary looked at all of them and said with both her arms spread lightly "Who benefited from me being ruined."
The room was silent.
No one breathed correctly.
Oswald looked toward edward.
Edward looked toward the floor.
Edith gripped her own hands in her lap.
Elizabeth tapped her cane once.
*Tak*
"Finally." Said elizabeth with a very relieved sigh.
Mary slowly turned toward her and asked "Finally."
Elizabeth's face was hard.
"I have been asking myself that since the night they brought you home." Said elizabeth with a hard look on her face.
The room went cold.
Edith looked at elizabeth and said with horror "Mother."
Elizabeth ignored her and stared at mary.
"If the accident was planned, then whoever did it expected you to vanish from society. Mordred's stunt changed that. Now you are visible. Valuable. Tied to a man most of london does not yet know how to handle." Said elizabeth calmly with another relieved sigh.
Mary's fan closed.
*Fak*
"I hate that he helped." Said mary flatly.
Elizabeth nodded and said with closed eyes "As you should. Hate keeps the hands warm."
The room was silent.
"That is horrible advice." Said mary calmly while staring at her for a very long moment.
"It is old advice." Said elizabeth calmly with a sudden smile.
"Same thing sometimes." Said mary flatly.
Oswald coughed once into his right hand.
Edward looked exhausted.
Mary turned her head toward the window and said calmly with a sigh "I gave him terms."
Elizabeth's eyebrows rose slightly.
"Good." Said elizabeth Immediately with a nod.
Edith looked alarmed and asked "What terms."
"Information. Warning before public traps. Investigation into the accident. No confusion between cooperation and submission. And if he humiliates me again, I return it with interest." Said mary calmly as she sat the necklace aside.
The room was silent.
Oswald nodded once.
Edward looked like he wanted to object and did not know which part first.
Elizabeth smiled.
Edith lowered her head and said with a soft whisper "I do not know whether to be proud or afraid."
Mary looked at her almost Immediately and said "Both sound like the most efficient…"
She froze.
The room was silent.
Mary's face slowly twisted in disgust as she said with horror "Oh god. I sounded like him."
Elizabeth laughed once.
Dry.
Sharp.
Pleased.
Mary closed her eyes and said with a mutter "Disgusting. Absolutely repulsive. I need a smoke."
(Unknown POV / Pembroke Residence)
Julian pembroke stood beside the fireplace in a private study with one hand resting on his stomach.
The pain had lessened.
The humiliation had not.
That was the important part.
Pain faded.
Humiliation spreaded roots.
A man in a brown coat stood across from him with his hat in his hands and his eyes lowered.
"You found something." Said julian softly.
The man nodded and said with his head rising slightly "Some, my lord. Not enough yet."
Julian's eyes narrowed and he said "Speak."
The man swallowed and was silent for a long moment before he said "The ainsworth family appeared in london under baron fletcher's protection. The family registry was altered in cheshire less than two weeks ago. Distant cousin attachment. Conveniently quick."
Julian's jaw tightened and he said "Go on."
"Before that, they came from russia. St. Petersburg. Sennaya Square." Said the man calmly but efficiently.
The study was silent.
"Sennaya square." Said julian repeating as he stared into the fire.
The man bowed his head and said quickly "Yes my lord. There are also whispers from port men. Blood in the square. Imperial guards. A blind giant and another russian man fleeing. No official report in london yet."
Julian's expression did not change.
But his hand around the glass tightened.
"Interesting." Said julian softly with a smile as he took a sip from the whiskey glass.
The man hesitated and said calmly "There is one more thing."
Julian looked at him.
The room was silent.
The man lowered his voice abs said with sharp eyes "A product name. I do not know if it is connected. Some workers near the docks mentioned a smoke trade moving before fletcher left russia."
Julian's eyes sharpened as he asked "What name."
The man was silent for a moment and said quietly "Grave smoke."
The room went silent.
Fire cracked softly.
Julian smiled.
Not happily.
"Grave smoke." Said julian with a long chuckle.
Julian turned from the fire and said with a ugly look on his gritted teeth face with bloodshot eyes "Find out what it is. Find out who sells it. Find out whether fletcher brought it here. And find out why a blind russian noble with no history suddenly has money, land and the queen's attention."
The man bowed Immediately and said "Yes my lord."
Julian lifted his glass and finally drank the rest of it. His eyes remained cold as he said "Nobody rises that fast without standing on something buried."
(Ainsworth Estate / Mordred's POV)
Night came slowly.
The house had finally quieted.
Margaret had gone to inspect workers.
Vladimir had gone to move guards.
Adelaide had taken abigail to speak privately.
Ivan had left to handle whatever lies men like him considered business.
Svyatapolk had gone to be useless somewhere beyond my hearing.
Excellent.
The study belonged to silence again.
I sat alone with the letter from the carriage boy beside my hand.
Julian pembroke.
A small man with injured pride and enough money to hire curiosity.
Dangerous.
Not because he was intelligent.
Because he had been humiliated publicly and had no imagination beyond revenge.
Revenge made people persistent.
Persistence made them useful or troublesome.
Sometimes both.
"Hm…" I said muttering while tapping my finger against the desk as I rubbed my smooth chin with my left hand.
*Tak* *Tak* *Tak*
The first arc had moved exactly as necessary.
Russia was behind us.
London was beneath us.
Mary stafford was beside us.
Enemies were ahead of us.
Good.
Very good.
I picked up a fresh sheet of paper and began writing names.
Pembroke.
Stafford accident.
Rothschild loans.
Fletcher route.
Bamburgh coast.
Greenland holding.
Brothel network.
Grave smoke.
The words sat on the page a little to smoothly.
I stared at them though I could not see ink the way others did.
It did not matter.
The shape of the future was already forming.
*Knock* *Knock*
"Enter." I said calmly while glancing up at the door.
A young servants silhouette opened the door and bowed while saying "Master ainsworth. A message from madame margaret. The first house is prepared for opening tomorrow night."
I was silent.
Then my lip curled upward slightly.
"Excellent." I said calmly.
The servant hesitated and asked "Is there a reply, sir."
I leaned back in the chair and picked up the cigar from the tray.
"Tell her to begin." I said calmly while putting the cigar by a candle.
The servant bowed and left.
*Boom*
The study returned to silence.
Smoke filled the air.
London had started asking questions.
The brothels were opening.
The banks were moving.
Mary wanted blood for her accident.
Julian wanted dirt.
The crown had noticed.
The room had changed shape.
And this time.
I did not have to crawl beneath streets.
I did not have to run through sewage.
I did not have to steal pouches from old women in a crowded square.
Now there was paper.
Titles.
Debt.
Lust.
Addiction.
Marriage.
Land.
Fear.
All of it waiting to be made efficient.
I exhaled smoke through my nose and said calmly to the empty room "The london web begins."
My smile widened.
Not because the danger was gone.
Because it had finally become useful.
And useful means death is inevitable.
…
THE END…