Errands to run [Johanna]

[Gabriel Alfero Mort]

It was a dreay thing to have to do, and Gabriel ditested doing it. But as a man of the law, he had to hand over cases to the Judges of the court, one of which was the honerable Judge Turpin. Gabriel probably would have enjoyed this part of the job if it wasn't for him, but sadly Judge Turpin was alive and well. The Judge was a constant thorn within Gabriel's side. And Gabriel had a great desire to kill him, but unfortunatly he couldn't, not yet anyway.

His hatred for the Judge had all started years ago, before Gabriel had been Gabriel, he'd been a boy called Christian. Christian had witnessed his parents murderes, and after being treated in hospital, the doctors had noticed that something was wrong with Christian, so they had consulted the Judge, and Christian had been put in Bedlam, where he had suffered for years.

It wasn't untill Archibald had come and help Christian escape that Gabriel came. Gabriel had taken over the weak boy that was Christian, and now remained most of the time. Gabriel longed for revenge, but Archibald often stopped him, and Gabriel was tied to the law. So if he wanted to kill the Judge, he'd have to break the morals that he used against others. Of course, Gabriel was no stranger to killing. He had to often satisfy his bloodlust, it was something he had gained when he'd seen his parents die. It was a constant hunger, one which he couldn't control.

Pushing his feelings for the Judge to one side, Gabriel arrived at the Judge's home. Knocking on the door, he smiled slightly to the maid who opened the door to him. "Is Judge Turpin in? I have some court cases for him." Keeping a pleasent and polite mask in, he listened polietly as he maid explained that the Judge was out right now, but that he'd be back shortly. Nodding, Gabriel was about to turn away when the maid invited him in. Frowning, he listened curiously as she explained that he could wait inside for his return. "Thankyou miss."

Stepping inside, Gabriel neatened up his jacket and followed the maid to the hallway, stopping at the stairs, Gabriel looked up and wondered if the Judge's ward was at home. Most people said that the ward Johanna only was allowed out when she was with the Judge. 'Always putting people in cages eh Turpin?' he thought to himself bitterly. "I'll await for him here, you should return to your duties." Gabriel looked blankly at the maid and watched as she scurried off. Poor thing, she probably had no idea of the danger she'd put her master in. Archibald wasn't with Gabriel, so there was no one to stop Gabriel. But no doubt the Beadle would be with the Judge, and Gabriel didn't want to return to a cage, so for today, he would resist his bloodlust.

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[Johanna Barker]

Johanna was bored. There was no other way to describe her boredom. She was so bored she actually thought at times she was going insane. Her tutor wasn’t coming for another two days and she had finished all the work set for her three days ago. So her boredom grew, she wandered through the corridors singing to herself or reading from a novel, although she had read the contents of the Judges Library she would often reread her favorite novels. Recently The Judge had started leaving papers around; she loved reading about the goings on in London even though most of it wasn’t good. One story that had caught her eye was the Jack the Ripper case; she found it shocking no one had any idea who was causing these women to die. She wondered if The Judge had been assigned to the case or not but she dared not ask him.

As she wandered down the hall in her dark blue dress that was embroidered with flowers she wished she could talk to some of the servants but she had been banned from speaking with them. He didn’t want his ward picking up bad habits from the servants. She wondered maybe if he would object greatly to her having her own servant, a companion. She knew that many other girls her age did, so maybe if he was in a good mood she would bring it up.

She walked slowly down the stairs deep in thought, how would it be best to bring this topic up? She knew it would work better if he thought he had come up with the idea himself. So how on earth could she get him to think of it? Johanna had never been very good at these things, she had always been too afraid to ask him for anything. She preferred to wait until he offered her these things.

"I'll await for him here, you should return to your duties."

Johanna being so deep in thought hadn’t heard the voices coming from the front hall. It was only as she wandered into the hall did she realize that it was already occupied by someone else. She froze as her eyes fell upon a young man; he was smartly dressed so she assumed he was of the same class as her, but it wasn’t class that worried her. She was afraid Turpin would come home and find her talking with someone he didn’t like and that she would be locked up for days in her room.

She glanced behind her nervously wondering if it was too late to hide, but it was apparent she had been spotted.

[Gabriel Alfero Mort]

As he awaited the Judge's return, a dull expression soon found it's place upon Gabriel's face. He did not like to be kept waiting like this, nor did he like being in the Judge's home. It seemed the Judge liked to flaunt his riches, there were expensive rugs and paintings everywhere. It truely infuriated Gabriel, he was high class, but he didn't flaunt it like the Judge did. He couldn't understand how a man like the Judge could walk as a free man.

If Gabriel could, he would solve that problem, after all, that was what he did best. But no doubt when the Judge returned he'd be accompained by the Beadle, and Gabriel couldn't do anything in front of that man. It would spell diaster for Gabriel, and Gabriel didn't wish to end up in a cage again. And even if the Beadle wouldn't be here, no doubt the servants would tell of Gabriel's deed.

Gabriel watched the servants as they went about their chores, and a memory began to ignite in the back of his mind. A memory of the boy Christian. He'd had a sevant, his own one. And that servant had been so kind, the two had often talked, until the boy Christian had been told about class. So he'd distanced himself from the servant, which was a shame. Because not long after, the boy Christian had lost everything. He'd lost his sevant's friendship, his parents, and his own life.

Clutching his head, Gabriel gritted his teeth and a hussed hiss escaped his lips. He could hear the voices in his mind screaming in his ear, his vision was beggining to grow faint. If only Archibald were hear, he could stop it. Gabriel couldn't allow himself to fall to the darkness, not today. It was too risky, if the Judge saw him like this, he'd be whisked off to Bedlam before he knew it. So he put all his energy into keeping control, it was painful, but it had to be done.

Looking up, Gabriel saw a young girl in a dark blue dress. She looked like she was going to retreat, which hurt Gabriel slightly, he was dangerous, but he was in control... for now. There was no need to fear him. Besides, he tended to not hurt women. "Good Afternoon mam', no need to shy away, I don't bite." Smiling, Gabriel gave a small bow and extended his hand for her to shake. "I'm Gabriel Alfero Mort."