Devil's In The Details [Close]

[Scarlatina]

"Is that all that you need of me your Majesty", Melody asked looking back at Elisha as if mind reading him. Honestly she was concerned about why this type of message was urgent, she also knew the Queen wouldn't tell her anything at this point. There was a reason for the late night delivery, and there was role she would play at this event, just what it was she didn't understand.


"That is all. I am sorry for troubling you so late at night, I hope did sleep well enough without worry."


"I did thank you, if nothing else Elisha and I must be going." Melody wanted out of the throne room faster then ever.


The Queen nodded and with one final bow of farewell, Melody was leaving the Queen's presence. However, Lord Issac was waiting for her in the hallway. He gave almost a devilish smirk as she walked towards him. "I am quiet curious on what the queen would want with such a young lady like yourself. I am think her age is making her wishful, don't you agree Lady Rosario?"


Melody bite her tongue, another ploy for Lord Issac to trick her into.


"Regardless, I hope you enjoy tonight's evening affairs with the Prince, I wounder what others will think when they see you since your...Accident." The grin turned extremely sinister. His cane hit the ground rather abruptly, breaking the stiffness in the air. "Till next time Lady Rosario." He walked off on his own, but not before giving a death glare toward Elisha, again for whatever reason. He reeked of something foul that was for sure.

 

[Lucyfer]

Elisha’s displeasure couldn’t be truly hidden, but he kept a polite smile on his face nonetheless while they were in the Queen’s presence. They were finally dismissed, and he followed Melody by two steps, as always.


Isaac was out there, waiting, and Elisha let his displeasure show then. The smile was on his lips, but it was quite clearly condescending now. How could he hide it when Isaac made such a show of mocking the both of them?


No one had any right to mock Melody. Isaac’s talk was quite treasonous, daring to suggest the Queen was unfit by calling her ‘wishful’. He had it in mind to report it to the Queen. Perhaps not here, but this outing with Alfred might provide him an opportunity to whisper in the Queen’s ear about Lord Isaac.


“Accident, Isaac?” He caught the death glare as he turned his head, “My, I wonder what he thinks was an accident,” whoever attacked the Rosario’s had not done so accidentally.


It made Isaac suspicious. It would be too easy if Isaac turned out to be the culprit. The man’s arrogance meant there would be obvious clues. He looked to Melody, “May I?” Hoping she understood his intentions when he didn’t complete the query.

 

[Scarlatina]

Melody nodded in approval of Elisha's request. To be honest she was curious on what a demon could do to someone without even showing themselves. Alongside that, she was curious as to Issac's rather rude comment. Did he know more then he lead others to believe. Either way, she hopes Elisha would at least put the arrogant Lord in his place.


Lord Issac kept in his stride down the hallway, it was unfortunate that Melody had to leave the same way he was. Being stuck behind him made her uneasy for some reason. Even so, she kept her thoughts to herself and made sure to stay close to Elisha as they walked. Lord Issac always made her uneasy. He had been a sinister man from the day she met him. Out of all the Lords of the House, Issac was the most vocal about Melody taking over her fathers legacy. He voted that it be split evenly among the rest of the Lords. If it wasn't for the Queen's word they would have done it.

 

[Lucyfer]

The demon gave a deep bow to Melody, before taking a turn the wrong way and then slipping out a window. His form became less-than solid, becoming more like the shadows and darkness he so often embodied, and seeming to slip apart into the window. He knew the direction he needed to go, and whispered into the breeze that gathered around him.


Some demons were partial to fire. He was partial to the wind.


It took him, and he flew with it right into an open window of Lord Isaac’s home, where his form shifted and became one that would be unquestioned in the home. He had seen Lord Isaac’s servants before, and he adapted a form that was a little like one of those, but not exactly. Even the attire he wore shifted to make itself more like the expected dress code. “Now, if I were Lord Isaac, where would I hide something?” He mused aloud, but he didn’t need to.


He walked down the hall and into the man’s private bedroom, which was wonderfully empty at this hour. His nose wrinkled immediately. “Myrrh.” He hated that smell. Too holy. The whole room reeked of it, even though there was no incense burning anywhere. He walked about, looking for the source, and it was found when he opened the end table drawer. “Now, now,” his lips curved in a smile as he saw the broken key, golden. Elisha had once had one of these. “Which one are you, Isaac?” He was surprised not to have recognized him immediately. If the room still reeked of this holy odor, that meant he couldn’t have fallen all that long ago.


And Elisha was certain he was fallen. Angels didn’t lie, after all. A disguise was a lie.

 

[Scarlatina]

Melody waited as Lord Issac's carriage was the first to arrive. She watched him go for a time before eventually her own ride arrived. The servant boy looked around for a moment. "Excuse me ma'am, but where is your butler?" She looked back at the boy, he had to be around her age, maybe alittle younger.


"He is on an errand, I live not far. I am sure the Queen won't mind if you take me home." The boy was stunned for a moment as Melody helped herself into the carriage. "Miss, er ma'am, I don't know exactly where you live."


She pointed to the manor near the river side. "Rosario Estate is not hard to find, its a gem encased in the beauty of her majesties crown."


The now appeared embarrassed, but since he had his directions he moved the horses accordingly. Melody knew for a fact Elisha would be back before she even arrived, after all, what kind of butler or adviser would he be if he left her alone for too long.

 

[Lucyfer]

The question of taking the key or not was a silly one. Of course Elisha was going to take the key, and he laughed at his own internal debate before snatching up the two pieces. Lord Isaac would certainly throw a fit and become a paranoid wreck when he noticed it was missing. He’d start slipping. It would be glorious.


He pocketed the key and walked to Isaac’s window. He threw it open, and let his form start to dissolve again on the wind. He didn’t bother to shut it—let Lord Isaac know someone was there. He’d never have any proof it was him.


His form rematerialized before the carriage ever arrived. He was standing in front of the door when it pulled up, and he wore a bright smile for the boy who brought Melody back. Calmly, he approached the carriage door and opened it for his mistress, offering her a hand down and out of the carriage. “I will handle the rest of the carriage things from here. I hope you have a pleasant walk home,” he said to the boy.


No, he wouldn’t be driving the boy back to the castle.

 

[Scarlatina]

"Oh coarse sir, its not a bother." The boy responded as if answering an unasked question. The boy skittered off without another word to say. Melody took Elisha's hand and stepped freely from the carriage. Elisha would be able to tell right away what was on her mind. She didn't ask however, probably waiting for a some where more private.


She followed him into the manor, letting the large doors shut behind them. It was nearly lunch time already, or at least Melody's stomach was telling her that. "Have a meal prepped for me Elisha." She said as she walked off on her own, heading towards the study again.

 

[Lucyfer]

Elisha’s eyes narrowed as they followed the boy and his departure. He didn’t like that the boy was so chipper about leaving this way. Even so, he let him leave and walked with Melody into the home. “Right away, my lady,” he answered her.


He did not follow her, but walked to the kitchen where he found Brandon making meals for the servants. “Ah, ‘ello there, sir!” He greeted cheerfully.


Elisha nodded to the ginger man, “Lady Rosario requests lunch be made. Please make it something light,” he said.


“Right away, sir! Will I bring it to her, or—”


“I will take it to her,” he answered. He then went to pick out some tea and got a kettle of water ready.


The ginger went about preparing a light meal, making crepes filled with vegetables and chicken, and a nice dressing. Elisha took the plate, and went to the study where he knew he would find Melody. He shut the door behind him and laid the plate down. He poured out a cup of tea for her as well, and waited to be addressed.

 

[Scarlatina]

Melody entered the study, walking over toward the desk. Her attention went outward, looking upon the garden below. Lord Rosario often looked out this window, the thought made her smile remembering days when she was younger, running around the garden with her sisters while their mother looked on. Her father watched from above, often with friends he was meeting with, but never turning away. Now she was in this very spot, looking down upon servants who are tending to the garden. Her smile soon faded.


When Elisha entered the room she turned in her seat, looking at him as he came in. For the moment she watched him pour the tea and examined the food he had brought. "Elisha, was there anything?" She asked, as she reached for the tea and dropping two cubes of sugar.

 

[Lucyfer]

‘What a rather vague question.’ Elisha thought when the words left his lady’s lips. He really ought to train her to be more specific.


He decided a lesson was in order, “Why yes, my lady,” he spoke with cheer and optimism, as if he had the answers she was looking for, “There was a desk, a bed, several books,” he listed things off by counting them off on his fingers, “blankets, pillows, a few rugs,” he glanced towards the ceiling, “all manner of clothing, cups and plates,” and then he chuckled to himself.


He thought he was funny, “But most interesting of all of those was a key, broken,” he took it from an inner pocket of his jacket and laid it down before her. “It is meaningless to you, I’m certain, but to me it is evidence that Lord Isaac has forsook his angelic duties to come play at European politics. I’m not sure which angel he is, though I’d bet he’s of the Cherubim,” those were the warmongers in Heaven.

 

[Scarlatina]

Melody frowns for a moment, realizing he is toying with her. it didn't last long as her attention was brought to the broken key Elisha laid down on her desk. She looked it over as he began to explain its meaning. "An angel? Cherubim?" First with the thought that an angel was walking the earth the second was what was a Cherubim? She never heard of such a thing, coarse she never educated herself with religion or that of mythical means. This might have been a set back in hindsight.


She looked from the key back to Elisha, waiting for his explanation.

 

[Lucyfer]

It seemed his lesson hadn’t gotten across. “Yes,” he said to both of her questioning tones about ‘angels’ and ‘cherubims’. What else was he to say? He did not wish to repeat himself and restate his suspicions about what Isaac was. That was a waste of breath.


He motioned to her food, and reminded her, “You should eat, my lady. It would not do to arrive ravenous at tonight’s event with the prince,” it wouldn’t be ladylike at all. It had not been made clear whether or not there would be food at the festivities, but Elisha thought it best to prepare for the worst.


Besides, she had ordered the food, and it seemed she needed it to think. He picked up the key from the desk, and returned it to his inner pocket.

 

[Scarlatina]

Melody sighed, "What is an angel doing here and what is a Cherubims?"


She drank her tea some before taking a bite to eat. Slightly annoyed look upon her face when she listen to Elisha explain. She was hoping he at least understood when she was asking a quest, regardless of how specific it was or not. After all, not all humans think demons and angels walk the earth. Still though, an Angel, Issac? Must be a some sort of joke. That man was more devil then anything.

 

[Lucyfer]

‘Much better.’ The demon thought and smiled.


However, he didn’t have good answers. “A Cherubim is a choir in heaven. Usually, they are considered the warmongers of heaven, although any and all angels are expected to fight when heaven goes to war. Amusingly, Michael is not a cherubim,” Michael, like all the Archangels, existed in many choirs. Cherubim was not one. He was an Archangel and a Throne. Uriel was the Archangel put over the Cherubim.


“As for why Isaac is here, I couldn’t say,” he hadn’t figured that out, “Perhaps he has come to collect souls,” he was fallen now, after all. Isaac would soon learn the hunger that drew demons, the once-angels, to devour and seek the souls of others if he didn’t already know that hunger.

 

[Scarlatina]

"Do you believe he had anything to do with the death of my parents", she asked getting straight to the point at hand. As informational as Elisha's explanation was, it mattered little to her. She wanted one thing, revenge against those who wronged her. If Issac was one of them, she would wish he had never come to Earth. Her expression showed her disgust at the very idea.


The tea cup say empty along with the plate. "Better question, do you think my parents had anything to do with an angel?"


Rather odd thing to ask, but all this talk of angels and demons made her wounder who really pulls the strings in the lives of humans. If Issac can stir up a war with nothing but a few words, whats to say a being such as Elisha couldn't destroy a family for no reason at all. "Or a Demon?"


She clarified just to be sure.

 

[Lucyfer]

Elisha shook his head at Melody’s questions, though his words proved it wasn’t an outright denial, “I know very little about your parents and I had not the time to thoroughly search Sir Isaac’s home to see if there would be evidence of that. I can not say for certain.”


He did smirk at the last question, “I never heard the name of your parents in hell. If I had, this would have been done long ago.” He would have known exactly who to torture to get the information they both required about Melody’s parents. As it was, it seemed her parents were rather ordinary, well-to-do blue bloods. He was betting that some other blue blood didn’t like them, which did make Isaac a suspect.


Admittedly, being an angel somehow made him less of one, unless Melody’s parents had stood in the way of some plan of his. Then, Elisha supposed, this ‘Isaac’ might have targeted them.

 

[Scarlatina]

"So in other words you haven't done any information gathering", she asked, "And I appointed you my adviser? I am questioning who is really the idiot here."


Melody got up rather abruptly, "Clean up and go do some reading or something. Right now I need to be alone."


She pointed toward the door with an expression of neutrality. She was a mixed with both anger and hurt.

 

[Lucyfer]

‘I did information gathering, it just did not prove profitable to you.’ Although the demon did not vocalize his protest. Instead, he smiled politely through the insult and bowed his head, “As you wish, my lady,” and he took the plates and cups away to have them removed from the area. He was told to read, but he really had no intention of doing that.


As soon as he’d deposited the dishes in the kitchen, he went to his own room and dug out a mirror within it. He took out the key, and used the mirror to examine it, trying to locate the name that should have been written on the broken parts. Alas, none came out clearly. It appeared it had been etched out. “Hmmm,” he hummed to himself, and then turned the mirror over to his own face.


He bit his index finger and let the blood spill onto the mirror—just a drop—and waited.


Soon enough, the glass shimmered like water and a different face appeared. “What do you want, Whisperer?”


“Don’t take that tone with me, Azazel,” he smirked at the beautiful reflection, not at all his own, “There’s a new angel among our ranks, and I can’t figure it out.”


“You can’t?” Azazel seemed to find this amusing, “Are you asking for help?”


“Mm. I’m leashed at the moment and cannot put my charge in such danger.”


“You’ll owe me.”


“I know.”

 

[Scarlatina]

Melody couldn't understand the demon watchdog. She blamed her luck mostly, fate maybe, destiny ha. There was a cruel sense of irony in this she could tell. "I don't know if I should be angry with him."


She spoke aloud to herself. The thought of a demon working as her servant and adviser not knowing anything about the family they are working for seem somewhat ridiculous, in fact laughable morel like. Then again the fact her family name wasn't associated with demons was a relief in itself. Her anger turned to more annoyance then anything. "Honestly, what kind of demon doesn't understand simple human logic."

 

[Lucyfer]

The day slipped on in relative peace. Eventually, Elisha prepared the carriage so that he and Melody could depart for the royal gathering. He made sure they did not go straight to it, but rather went to meet with the Prince first. It would be wrong if the prince showed up without his escort, after all.


So, Elisha took them first to the palace in order to make sure Prince Alfred would have his date. Elisha was not certain if he was going to accompany Melody in any position during this event, and he did not ask until they were at the palace gates, “My Lady do you want me to be in attendance at this event, or shall I wait with the carriage until your pleasant evening with the prince is over?” He inquired, curious as to what his mistress would desire of him.

 

[Scarlatina]

"It would be unwise to leave you with the carriage. You will be joining me inside." Melody answered as she watched the trees go by. Her Dress was an elegant Ruby rose design. The tine flare lining was of a velvet jet black frilled to every seem. She wore a small hat that matched the outfit perfectly. The corset kept her figure tight while still leaving room to breath, sometimes she wondered about these impracticable things. Her boots went up into the bottom of the dress, disappearing behind the long flowing frill. "The whole country is here, that includes Lord Issac and his closest friends. I rather know I am safe than to go in a fox."

 

[Lucyfer]

‘Go in a fox?’


Human slang was such a strange thing to Elisha, but he nodded nonetheless. “Very well, my lady, I shall be present at the ball,” he suspected prince Alfred would find that strange, but it was none of his concern.


As the carriage came to a stop at the palace, Elisha opened the door and stepped out, offering his hand to the beautifully dressed Melody, “We shall go to your date then, and I suspect be off in a different carriage,” he looked to Barnaby, “Please take the horses home and care for them,” there was a softness to his voice as he said that. “We will be riding with the prince, and should return when the prince chooses to leave the party.” Certainly Alfred would see to it that his guests returned home safely. It was the noble thing to do.

 

[Scarlatina]

A raven passed over as she walked through the front garden. Servants were still finishing final preparations, she knew she had arrived early but not that early. Eventually she made it to ballroom and looked around for a moment before she began to examine the paintings, waiting for Prince Albert to show up. A servant noticed her and came over, bowing before he spoke, "Prince Albert will be down shortly Lady Rosario."


She was caught by surprise that the servants even remembered what she looked like, its been ages since she was here.

 

[Lucyfer]

Any other day, Elisha might have given the bird of dark wings a second look, but on that day his mind was not concerned with those winged creatures. They were nothing that Azazel liked. Some demons, like Azazel, had decided to be partial to certain creatures—so much so their form came to resemble them.


Elisha was not among them. His name, Whisperer, meant only the air and that which carried such deadly words. He would always and forever embody those traits instead.


He followed after Melody, always two steps behind, and waited with her patiently in the ballroom, hands clasping behind his back as he did so. He had never met this prince, and he was interested in what sort of kinship the two could possibly have. Melody had never mentioned the prince to him before, either. ‘So much I do not know.’ It was not his prerogative to know about Melody, though. She would share whatever she wished, or whatever she thought was important.

 

[Scarlatina]

While she waited a familiar voice appeared. "Its good to see that the Queen's request didn't scare you off Miss Rosario."


Lord Issac stood with a few others, it appeared people had already started gathering in the ballroom, unfortunately that made tonight's evening some what more unpleasant then she had hoped. "Lord Issac, you of all people should know I don't scare that easily."


The fox came to mind again. Issac grinned and looked at Elisha, his eye grew narrow upon looking at him. After a few awkward moments of his presence he turned to leave, "Do enjoy yourself, and please be on your best behavior. I don't want the Prince to be in a sour mood because of your childish behavior."


After spitting his word like a venom from an ugly snake he walked away, chatting with a few other, high prestige men. For the moment Melody sighed, she was more uncomfortable now then she was before.