My fingers were dancing across the piano keys in a graceful way, each key hitting on time and to perfection. Charles stood nearby tapping his foot, leading me with the beat he created. In his hand was a long stick, he called it his 'teaching utensil'. The thought made a soft smile appear on my face and my finger slip on one of the keys, and I could feel the annoyance radiate off of Charles.
"Vanessa...stay focused." He said, his voice low and the formalities momentarily dropped. I merely nodded, and continued dancing my finger across the keys until I was near the song. My finger slipped on the last key, and the stick hit me on top of my hands. I gasped, and cradled my hands together against my chest. My gaze went to Charles, my eyes wide with surprise. It didn't hurt, but it was unexpected. The emotion must have been hilarious, seeing as Charles began to openly laugh. It wasn't often he did that, and I half-smirked with my mouth still slightly open with my gaze focused on him intently. Placing the stick down on top of the piano, he motioned for me to move down on the piano bench. I did so, but I was glaring at the 'teaching utensil'. Then I looked back to him.
"You hit me."
"You missed the key, for the second time. And I did not 'hit' you. I tapped you." That was his reasoning, and he looked to me with a raised brow. When I said nothing, merely sitting there with my mouth open and my brain looking for a witty retort, he placed his hands on the piano. "Follow my movements, Miss Vanessa." I did as he asked, and I tried to follow his moment on my end of the piano, but I found it kind of...hard to concentrate.
"Do I have to grab my stick again?" Charles muttered, not evening looking at me.
"I thought it was your teaching utensil?"
"It has various uses."
My hands stopped right after that sentence, and I turned my head slowly to look at him. What kind of various uses? With my wandering mind, it didn't take long for a pink tint to form across my cheeks. I coughed, ignoring his smirk and questioning gaze. After a moment of silence, he leaned closer to me.
"A walking stick, Miss Vanessa...ever heard of one? What on this lovely earth did you think I was speaking of?" Charles' tone was teasing, and I sighed and looked down at the piano. "..Oh dear. Did you honestly think I would speak of such things in front of a child?"
At his latest remark, I shot my gaze to him, my cheeks blazed red and I moved to get up. "I am not a child!"
"I know." I looked at him, then he smiled. "I was referring to your brother. Master Stephen?" At that I turned around behind me, and I saw Stephen peak his head out from behind a couch. Charles gestured for Stephen to sit on the bench as he stood, getting ready to teach Stephen now. I began walking out of the room, when I suddenly turned on my heel and marched straight to Charles. He looked down at me, now no emotion readable. I snatched the stick, I mean utensil, out of his hands.
"I'm taking this with me!"
~The streets of London~
We were in the city, the lower end, coming back from a shopping trip. Stephen was humming a tune while looking out the window. I was looking out the window of the carriage as well, the darkened skies and rain falling heavily. Our mother wasn't going to be pleased, we stayed out much longer than we had been advised to. The Ripper murders were still unsolved, after all. Charles sat next to Stephen, casually flipping through a book I had bought. The ride was mostly silent, but a scream pierced through the sky and my brother and I looked at eachother. Then to Charles.
"I highly suggest we continue on our way." Charles said, already knowing my thoughts. I shook my head, and pounded on the roof off the carriage. It stopped, and I looked to my brother.
"Stay here." Reaching for the door, I went to open it. However Charles' gloved hand clasped on top of mine, and he gripped it tightly.
"I will not repeat myself." Rolling my eyes, I slapped his hand away and got out of the carriage. The alleyway was dark, but I could see two figures running down it, and they looked awfully familiar.
"Sebastian! Ciel!" I yelled, running after them, Charles right behind me. The rain drenched me instantly, and Sebastian was the only one to look behind him. If he was shocked to see me, he hid it well. I came up behind Ciel, and peered into the doorway that was at the end of the alley. My stomach churned, and I gasped. There was so much red, so much blood.
