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my-shipperheart-canttakeit · 13 years ago

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The girl with two faces

Chapter Two

Finley kept her head high and her posture straight, acting as if she really was the Dutchess of Keirnan, which was the alibi she was taking that night. Jack had gone out of his way to make the identity foolproof; there was a Dutchess of Keirnan somewhere, and she could pass for Finley from far away, save for the stripes of gold in her hair, but there was nothing she could do about that.

As for Jack, he was merely there as her chaperone, keeping his head down and his eyes averted, trying to look inconspicuous. It would have been easier if it had been a masquerade party, or far away enough that he wouldn’t be recognized- but his reputation stretched on for miles.

“Fetch me a drink, Tobias. “ Finley waved her gloved hand away in the direction of the unnecessarily large table reserved for food and drinks that stretched nearly halfway across the room, “I’m feeling fairly parched this evening.”

Jack- or Tobias –dipped his head and sauntered off, understanding that this was his cue to leave. He had gotten one of his cronies to come and disable the alarms that were hooked up to the rooms; now, it was Finley’s turn.

Wandering around as if she had no particular destination in mind, her hand clutching a small, pale violent fan with small golden threads stitched into it in the pattern of a dragon, she made her way across the marble floor and down the hall, recounting the blueprints off of memory.

A left turn here, one more door here... Viola.

A triumphant grin spilled onto her features as she saw the door she had been looking for- an engraving on the middle of it marked that this was the study. Taking a quick peak around the hall to confirm she was alone, Finley turned the handle and slipped through quickly.

She was in. Time for stage two.

After painstakingly long minutes of trying to subtly get away from Emily and Sam, Griffin had finally managed to slip away. Even now, he could see Sam’s tall frame swiveling around, scouting for him. It wouldn’t be long until he had the entire place on lockdown looking for him; he had to be quick.

Trying not to look conspicuous as he walked down the hallway he’d seen Finley walk down only minutes before, Griff managed to maintain a slow pace, turning the corner only to run into a tall, lanky frame.

“Well if it ain’t the Duke of Graythorne.” Griffin glanced up, his cloudy eyes narrowing to slits as he saw who it was he’d run into. Dandy. He swept on, “If I’m not mistakin’, aren’t you somewhat of a ‘ermit crab? Since when’re you out of that big ‘ouse of yours?”

Griffin made a move to step around him, but was barred by the criminal’s arm, “Ah, ah, ah. Wouldn’t want ‘ta be ruinin’ stuff you ‘aven’t the slightest idea ‘bout.”

Unfortunately for Dandy, the Duke of Graythorne was in no mood to humour him. Staying completely still, Griffin glanced up at the other man, his voice soft, “Get out of my way, now.”

“Oh? Now tell me, why would I be doin’ that?”

Rather than answering, which would have taken a very long time to do, and included things that Griffin didn’t think he’d wish on his worst enemy, he widened his eyes a fraction, feeling the Aether slip into his control eagerly, as if it’d been waiting for this for ages. Maybe it had.

Keeping control of the strange power was something he was still getting used to; only allowing the smallest bit to escape his hold, he angled it towards Dandy, watching his dark eyes screw up in discomfort, his hand raising to touch his temple. Smirking, Griffin let more loose, seeing the dark slips envelope the man’s head and lower him to the ground in pain, hissing through his teeth from the pain.

“Excuse me.” Feeling superior, Griffin stepped over him and pushed the Aether out, not wanting the dark power to be there when he was with Finley- the girl had the ability to bring out the worst in him sometimes, and he didn’t want anything to happen to her. Despite everything, he still cared. He still hurt.

Knowing Dandy would only stay down for so long, Griffin picked up his pace and turned, opening every door he saw, only to turn up empty handed. Quickly growing frustrated, he threw open the door of the study and nearly ran into Finley, her amber eyes growing wide as she saw him. Her jaw dropped.

“Hello, Finley. Fancy seeing you here.”

Griffin was here.

Not only that, but he was angry; she could tell by the way his jaw was taut and his eyes still had remaining traces off the odd glowing it had whenever he came in contact with the Aether. She frowned; had he used it? If so, on whom? A dark feeling opened in the pit of her stomach.

“What are you doing here, Griffin?” She backed up slightly, keeping the object Jack had sent her in to claim- the reason they were here in the first place –folded behind her back. She couldn’t let him see it.

“I’m a Duke, these stupid parties are what they do.” He waved his arm around, but his eyes stayed on her, “Or had you forgotten? I wouldn’t be surprised, from how long you’d been off prancing with Dandy.”

Finley flipped her hair over her shoulder and raised an eyebrow, her lips turning up into a smirk, “Jealous, Griff?” She couldn’t afford to let him see how much it shocked her to see him, “I must admit, it looks good on you.”

That wasn’t a lie. She’d always liked when he got angry or jealous at things she did, it was a known fact. Griffin himself had even commented on it before. But there was nothing else for her to do or say besides pretend as if everything was back to the way it had been before.

“What are you doing here, Finley.” He didn’t phrase it as a question; he was expecting her to tell him. He stepped forward, “Why did you come here tonight.”

Again, not a question. The man she’d left in Mayfair was gone- no, not gone. Just closed off. Wary. Something within her twisted as she realized what her leaving had done to him. He was no longer trusting; why would he be? He’d put all his trust in her and she’d thrown in away.

“Wouldn’t you like to know.” A spark entered his eyes, surprising her. He was angry again. Since when was he this easily frustrated?

Griffin stepped forward, a coy smile on his face. All emotions had been stripped from his face, replaced by a mask, “Actually, I would.” Finley glanced up in shock as he stepped closer, their faces inches apart, “Would it kill you to tell me?”

She realized what he was doing a second after he’d done it. Well, two can play at that game. Finley placed her hands on his chest, raising on the tops of her toes, moving forward until her lips were mere spaces apart from his, “No, but if I told you, I’d have to kill you. And that would just ruin the evening.”

“Would it now.” Both of their breathing was ragged, as if they’d been holding their breath. When they spoke, their lips brushed slightly against each other, just faintly; the ghost of a kiss.

“Mhmm.” Finley’s eyes traveled down the plains of his face, the ones she’d grown to know and love from her time with him. Her arms wound around his neck, fingers tangling in the soft auburn strands of his hair.

“That is a problem.” His eyes met hers, and for a moment, everything stopped. The noise of the party just down the hall faded, the reason for her coming to the event tonight slipped out of her mind.

It was just her.

And him.

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my-shipperheart-canttakeit · 13 years ago

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The girl with two faces

Chapter One

"Well, well, well. What 'ave we gots ourselves 'ere, Treasure?" Jack Dandy's eyes glared down at the ground, where a quaking man was cowering. His trousers were covered in filth and grime, his dark hair matted with blood.

Beside him, Finley spoke up, "A lowly coward?" She sneered, her arms folded across her chest as she faced down at the man, tossing her head with a smirk.

"Please, I'm sorry. I can get you the money, I just need-"

Finley's lips curled up into a wicked grin, her hand peeling the knife from the sheath wrapped around her leg. The man let out a whimper at the sight of it and began to sob. With a quick flick of her wrist, the blade shot from her hand and embedded itself into his neck, warped, gargled noises escaping his throat.

Dandy's hand clapped her on the back, twice, "Well done 'luv."

It had been a full year since she last saw the house at Mayfair. 12 months since she last trained with Jasper, argued with Sam, or cracked jokes with Emily.

365 days since she'd told Griffin King goodbye and stepped out of his life forever.

Finley shook out her hair from it's customary bun, yanking out the chopstick to free the wispy strands, which had gone from honey-coloured with a sole black streak in it to nearly the opposite; her hair hung in long, thick, black locks, a single light strand the only reminder of her formal life.

Ever since she'd chosen her dark persona and joined Jack, she began waking up to find less and less of her hair was the natural light colour she'd grown up with. Jack didn't seem to mind- he thought it suited her, more or less.

Griffen would pitch a fit if he could see me now, She though tot herself wirly; but no, she'd forbad herself to ever step foot near the Duke of Graythorne ever again. She couldn't.

Not after what she'd said to him that night.

" 'Ello, you 'ere with me?" Surprised, Finley turned to see Jack's dark head poking through the doorway- normaly, her heightened senses would have alerted her to his presence, but she'd been too busy thinking about past drama. Stupid, she chastised herself mentally before answering;

"Yes, Jack, I'm here."

"Good- wouldn't want 'ta be late for our festivities tonight." He was grinning from ear to ear.

"Of course not." Finley answered cooly, clasping an earing on each of her ears before stepping back and evaluating her appearance; she was wearing a deep purple dress, tight on the bodice- but with a flexible corset underneath to alow movement -which billowed out into a series of layers, splitting open with black material showing through the slit. It was decorated with small glittering rhinestones that gave it sparkles every time she moved.

Dandy nodded in appreciation and offered her his arm, wearing his own formal black and white suit. She smiled and took it, preparing herself for what she was about to do.

She was going to crash a party.

As the- currently single and not at all 'looking' -Duke of Graythorne, Griffin was expected to participate in local events, even when he would rather allow Emily's mechanical cat to claw out his eyes instead. He usually managed to weasel his way out of them, but not even he was bold enough to decline an invitation from Queen Victoria herself.

"I don't like this." Griffin glanced over- or up, rather -at Sam Morgan, his best and longest friend. He pulled at the collar of his neck self-consciously.

Beside him, looking even smaller then she really was next to the giant, Emily nodded her agreement. Griffin could see how uncomfortable the young Irish girl was in her dress, the bright blue material setting off her eyes, making them look more blue than green, and suiting her ropey red hair.

"It'd be foolish not to go," He argued, glaring at them both. Sam didn't provide a retort, though Griffin could see he was still unpleased by the way he huddled into the corner of the wall, hands across his chest and expression brooding.

Rolling his eyes, he stepped out of the house and into the awaiting carriage, pulled by gleaming metal horses. Sam, still untrusting to anything metal after his accident in the mines, eyed them wearily before helping Emily up and sliding in himself.

Griffin tapped the roof of the carriage, signaling he was ready to leave, and tried to ignore how close the walls were; after his parents had died in a carriage crash, he'd hated small spaces.

Emily caught his eyes and gave him a sympathetic look, to which he brushed off, giving her a smile he hoped reassured her he was okay.

Inside, he felt like he was suffocating.

Thankfully, the ride didn't last long, and he was stumbling out of the carriage door and into the cool night air not long after stepping inside of it.

Walking into the main hall, Sam and Emily not far behind him, as per usual, Griffin tried to look regal and deserving of his 'Duke' title; after all, he was only eighteen, and it was a big responsibility to put on someone so young. He had to show people he was entitled to it.

Fortunately, nobody seemed to be any problem, until, that is, he spotted a flash of purple skirts in his peripheral vision. He knew it would be before he turned.

Finley. Arm-in-arm with Jack Dandy.

Wonderful.

Dress that Finley is wearing: http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?id=57517548

Dress that Emily is wearing: http://www.polyvore.com/prom_dresses/thing?id=74718875

#the strange case of finley jayne #the steampunk chronicles #the girl in the steel corset #griffin king #finley jayne #fanfiction

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