I sat in the garden, facing the woods. But I saw nothing. The pain of Ciel's death still stung like poison on a fresh wound, and I doubted I'd ever heal.
Lady Elizabeth Ethel Cordelia Phantomhive.
I'd begun to think of myself by this name long ago, and still I found it difficult to break the pattern of thought that trapped me in the title "wife of the Queen's watchdog."
The beautiful flowers swayed in the wind. I reached out to pick one, but it crumbled in my hand as I squeezed it with the force of my torture.
There hadn't been a body.
I shut the thought down. I couldn't allow myself to think like that, like it would be the way it was in that month of darkness two years ago. That month had already passed, twice over, and still I did not know the exact cause of Ciel's death. In a moment of desperation and insanity, I had fled to the Phantomhive mansion, but Sebastian had not been there. Maylene had sat me down at the dining table, and spoke to me in slow, nervous tones about his medical condition. Before she could finish, however, she had burst into tears and fled the room. I had returned home and sat in the garden, and continued to do so each day.
I could tell that Mother and Edward were getting slightly irritated with me. My brother still could not fathom what I saw in the "bloody idiot," and my parents just wished I would get over myself, likely due to their wish for me to impress Caspar, my new fiance.
He was forty-three.
The wind shifted, and I smelled something. Something... I'd smelled that before. On the Campania, with the Bizarre Dolls. The grass rustled. Someone was walking toward me, but I could not hear a heartbeat, or breath. I... knew who it was.
"Grell Sutcliff."
I closed my eyes. I wondered what on Earth he wanted from me. If he wanted to duel, now that Sebastian could no longer protect me, I would refuse. I had not picked up my swords since the funeral. I had no husband to protect, save Caspar, and I dearly hoped he would meet Ciel's fate before our inevitable union.
"What beautiful flowers you have there. If only they were red."
They were blue.
"Don't be so quiet, Lizzy dear. You and I can accomplish great things together."
I remembered Sebastian's warning about Grell's perversion being contagious, and slowly stood. I walked a little ways away and knelt in the grass.
"All I need you to do is help me find someone."
"Why would I help you?" I snapped, and turned my head to face him. Thankfully, we were far enough from the manor that Edward and my parents could not see us, but somehow this seemed like a bittersweet coincidence.
"You see, I need to find a butler. Not just any butler... the one who used to serve the house Phantomhive." My heart jerked, and I fought to keep my voice level. In earlier days I may have burst into tears, but I had none left to give, particularly not to the likes of the Red Butler.
Grell saw the look in my eyes and walked slowly forward and knelt next to me. He gave me a look of pity, then took in a breath as if to say something, then shut his mouth.
"What is it?" I said. I had no hypotheses, but something in his face made my breath catch.
"Ciel Phantomhive lives."
My eyes widened, then narrowed in anger. I jumped up, then went to rake his face with my fingernails. He caught my wrists, and I screeched at him something unintelligible, something to do with liars and creeps.
There was something in his hand. I could feel it. He slowly opened his palm to reveal a ring. It was inset with a blue diamond. I'd given it to Ciel on his birthday. Or, rather, I'd tried.
"Take me to him." Miraculously, my voice was level still. It was probably because I'd known all along.
Grell shook his head and did a "tsk-tsk-tsk" noise with his teeth.
"It's not that simple, Lizzy dear. We have to do something first."
"Anything," I replied, desperate.
"You and I must make a pact. A contract, of sorts."
What do you think? Do you want to hear more? Review, please!